AVCA Honors Academic Excellence
Record Number Earn Prestigious Volleyball Team Academic Award
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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. - The American Volleyball Coaches Association has named a record-number 305 volleyball programs the recipients of the 2003-04 AVCA Team Academic Award, bettering the previous high of 205 awarded last year (2002-03). The record increase represents a 48.8 percent jump from the 2002-03 total.
The award, initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors college and high school teams that displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale and a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale during the school year. Nominating head coaches must be AVCA members.
Recipients of the award range from NCAA Division I institutions to high school girls' and boys' teams. The college ranks produced 161 programs that met the requirements for the award. This year marked the most awards earned in Division II (31), Division III (48) and NAIA (27). Division I women's programs (46) and two-year colleges (7) listed their second-highest award totals, just shy of the 47 and nine respective classification records. An additional highlight is that Stanford University became the first-ever men's collegiate program to earn the honor.
A record-total 144 high school programs earned the distinction, including Ironwood Ridge High School (Oro Valley, Ariz.) and Thomas McKean High School (Wilmington, Del.) placing both boys' and girls' squads on the award list. The previous high for the prep ranks was 103 awards in 2002-03.
Over 700 different schools have won the award in the program's 12-year history. Two institutions have earned it every year in Jonesboro High School (Jonesboro, Ark.) and Ross S. Sterling High School (Baytown, Texas).
Historically, schools from 49 states and two countries (outside the United States) have won the award. For 2003-04, the award-winning programs represent 43 states, the District of Columbia and Korea.
"The AVCA Team Academic Award captures the true essence of the student-athlete, and the AVCA is honored to recognize these schools for excellence in the classroom," Katherine McConnell, AVCA executive director said. "We are especially pleased to bestow this prestigious award to a record number of teams for the third year in a row."
Some of this year's award recipients achieved success on the court, as well as in the classroom. A total of 36 teams that earned the 2003-04 AVCA Team Academic Award, also earned a berth in their respective collegiate postseason tournaments.
The national runner-up teams in both NCAA Division II and Division III were also earned the award in Concordia University (Minn.) and New York University, respectively.
Five of eight region champions in the 2003 NCAA Division III Championship field won the AVCA Team Academic award in Emory University (Ga.), New York University, Ohio Northern University, Williams College (Mass.) and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.
For further notes and history on the AVCA Team Academic Award, click here.
Each school will receive a plaque, and each player a certificate commemorating the designation. Following is a list of the programs that earned the 2003-04 AVCA Team Academic Award, including the name of the head coach for the 2003 season.
| NCAA Division I (46) | State | Head Coach |
| American University | D.C. | Barry Goldberg |
| Appalachian State University | N.C. | Chad Callihan |
| Austin Peay State University | Tenn. | Cheryl Holt |
| Ball State University | Ind. | Randy Litchfield |
| Birmingham-Southern College | Ala. | Tonya Charland |
| Bowling Green State University | Ohio | Denise Van De Walle |
| Bucknell University | Pa. | Cindy Opalski |
| College of Charleston | S.C. | Sherry Dunbar |
| Creighton University | Neb. | Kirsten Bernthal Booth |
| University of Denver | Colo. | Beth Kuwata |
| Duquesne University | Pa. | Steven Opperman |
| Eastern Washington University | Wash. | Wade Benson |
| Elon University | N.C. | Mary Tendler |
| Indiana State University | Ind. | Julie Krofcheck |
| Iona College | N.Y. | Bob Weiner |
| Jacksonville State University | Ala. | Rick Nold |
| Kansas State University | Kan. | Suzie Fritz |
| Lamar University | Texas | Fiona Simmons |
| Lipscomb University | Tenn. | Brandon Rosenthal |
| Long Island University | N.Y. | Toby Rens |
| The University of Memphis | Tenn. | Carrie Yerty |
| Miami University | Ohio | Carolyn Condit |
| University of Missouri - Kansas City | Mo. | Steve Dallman |
| Morehead State University | Ky. | Jaime Gordon |
| University of Nebraska | Neb. | John Cook |
| University of New Mexico | N.M. | Kelley Sliva-McKee |
| Northern Arizona University | Ariz. | Michelle Hansen |
| Northwestern University | Ill. | Keylor Chan |
| Rice University | Texas | Genny Volpe |
| Seton Hall University | N.J. | Maureen Rafferty |
| Southeast Missouri State University | Mo. | Cindy Gannon |
| The University of Southern Mississippi | Miss. | Santiago Restrepo |
| Southwest Missouri State University | Mo. | Melissa Stokes |
| Stephen F. Austin State University | Texas | Debbie Humphreys |
| University of Tennessee at Martin | Tenn. | Chris Rushing |
| TCU | Texas | Prentice Lewis |
| University of Toledo | Ohio | Kent Miller |
| Troy University | Ala. | Ginger Lowe |
| Valparaiso University | Ind. | Carin Avery |
| University of Virginia | Va. | Melissa Shelton |
| Virginia Tech | Va. | Greg Smith |
| Western Michigan University | Mich. | Cathy George |
| Wichita State University | Kan. | Chris Lamb |
| Winthrop University | S.C. | Joel McCartney |
| University of Wisconsin-Green Bay | Wis. | Debbie Kirch |
| University of Wyoming | Wy. | Jim Barnes |
| NCAA Men (1) | State | Head Coach |
| Stanford University | Calif. | Don Shaw |
| NCAA Division II (31) | State | Head Coach |
| University of Alabama in Huntsville | Ala. | Laura Taube |
| Bellarmine University | Ky. | Dee Dee Olmstead |
| Catawba College | N.C. | Ginger Ashley |
| Central Missouri State University | Mo. | Peggy Martin |
| Chadron State College | Neb. | Dawn Brammer |
| Clarion University | Pa. | Tracey Fluharty |
| Concordia University | Minn. | Brady Starkey |
| Drury University | Mo. | Lawrence Anderson |
| Emporia State University | Kan. | Maxine Mehus |
| Harding University | Ark. | Keith Giboney |
| Hillsdale College | Mich. | Chris Gravel |
| Lewis University | Ill. | Karen K. Lockyer |
| Mesa State College | Colo. | Rusty Crick |
| Metro State College | Colo. | Debbie Hendricks |
| Michigan Tech University | Mich. | Krista Mikesch |
| University of Minnesota Duluth | Minn. | Jim Boos |
| Missouri Western State College | Mo. | Cindy Brauck |
| University of Nebraska-Omaha | Neb. | Rose Shires |
| University of North Dakota | N.D. | Maria Bruggeman |
| North Dakota State University | N.D. | Zaundra Bina |
| University of Northern Colorado | Colo. | Ron Alexander |
| Northern Kentucky University | Ky. | Carlos Chia |
| Northern State University | S.D. | Lisa Schriver |
| Pittsburg State University | Kan. | Ibraheem Suberu |
| Regis University | Colo. | Frank Lavrisha |
| University of South Dakota | S.D. | Brian Lamppa |
| Southern Arkansas University | Ark. | Shawna Laurendine |
| St. Andrews Presbyterian College | N.C. | Bill Rude |
| St. Mary's University (Texas) | Texas | Todd Caughlin |
| Texas Woman's University | Texas | Shelly Barberee |
| Wayne State College | Neb. | Sharon Vanis |
| NCAA Division III (48) | State | Head Coach |
| Albright College | Pa. | Angela Peirce |
| Bluffton College | Ohio | Sara Wakefield |
| Carleton College | Minn. | Heidi Jaynes |
| Central College | Iowa | Kent Clayberg |
| University of Chicago | Ill. | Dorinda von Tersch |
| Clarkson University | N.Y. | Laura Mandell |
| Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges | Calif. | Dianna Turner-Graves |
| Colby College | Maine | Candice Parent |
| Colorado College | Colo. | Rick Swan |
| Concordia University Wisconsin | Wis. | Joseph Cawley |
| Connecticut College | Conn. | Josh Edmed |
| Cornell College | Iowa | Jeff Meeker |
| Defiance College | Ohio | David Kwan |
| Dominican University | Ill. | Meghan Maxwell |
| University of Dubuque | Iowa | Stacey Ruff |
| Eastern Mennonite University | Va. | Ruth-Anne Wideman |
| Elmhurst College | Ill. | Julie Hall |
| Emory University | Ga. | Jennifer McDowell |
| Grove City College | Pa. | Susan K. Roberts |
| Huntingdon College | Ala. | Terina Gantt |
| Kalamazoo College | Mich. | Jeanne Hess |
| Lakeland College | Wis. | Chad Schreiber |
| Macalester College | Minn. | Steph Schleuder |
| Medaille College | N.Y. | Laura Edholm |
| Moravian College | Pa. | Shelley Bauder |
| College of Mount St. Joseph | Ohio | Michele Benoit |
| New York University | N.Y. | Edward Caesar |
| Oberlin College | Ohio | Kristen Surovjak |
| Ohio Northern University | Ohio | Kate Witte |
| Otterbein College | Ohio | Sharon Sexton |
| Pomona-Pitzer Colleges | Calif. | Valerie Cowan |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | N.Y. | Roger Worsley |
| College of Saint Benedict | Minn. | Michelle Blaeser |
| Saint John Fisher College | N.Y. | James Chan |
| St. Joseph's College-Patchoque | N.Y. | Sean E. Holden |
| Saint Mary's University of Minnesota | Minn. | Mike Lester |
| University of St. Thomas | Minn. | Thanh Pham |
| Simpson College | Iowa | Lana Smith |
| Skidmore College | N.Y. | Hilda Arrechea |
| Southwestern University | Texas | Shannon Carlson |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | N.J. | J.J. O'Connell |
| Swarthmore College | Pa. | Harleigh Leach |
| Vassar College | N.Y. | Jonathan Penn |
| Washington & Jefferson College | Pa. | Fred Wallace |
| Wesleyan University | Conn. | Gale Lackey |
| Williams College | Mass. | Fran Vandermeer |
| University of Wisconsin-La Crosse | Wis. | Sheila Perkins |
| Wittenberg University | Ohio | Paco Labrador |
| NAIA (27) | State | Head Coach |
| Bethel College | Kan. | Bev Mayer |
| Briar Cliff University | Iowa | Mary Schroeder Miller |
| Carlow College | Pa. | Julie Gaul |
| Carroll College | Mont. | Amy Heuiser |
| College of Saint Mary | Neb. | Trish Siedlik |
| Concordia University | Neb. | Randy Krieger |
| Cumberland University | Tenn. | Dwayne Deering |
| Dakota Wesleyan University | S.D. | Kylee A. Johnson |
| Dickinson State University | N.D. | Dave Moody |
| Goshen College | Ind. | Kent Nafziger |
| Hastings College | Neb. | Fred Aubuchon |
| Lee University | Tenn. | Andrea Hudson |
| Lindsey Wilson College | Ky. | Audra Nothwehr |
| McPherson College | Kan. | Nathalea Stephenson |
| MidAmerica Nazarene University | Kan. | Ken Carver |
| Midland Lutheran College | Neb. | Joan Rickert |
| Mills College | Calif. | Marla Mundis |
| Mount Marty College | S.D. | Tracey Grotenhuis |
| Olivet Nazarene University | Ill. | Brenda Williams |
| St. Ambrose University | Iowa | Bruce Billingsley |
| The College of St. Scholastica | Minn. | Dana Moore |
| Saint Vincent College | Pa. | Susan Hozak |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | Ga. | Glenn Cox |
| South Dakota Tech | S.D. | Doug Tabbert |
| Trinity Christian College | Ill. | Sue Gasperec |
| Urbana University | Ohio | Jeremy W. Wise |
| Waldorf College | Iowa | Jody Dosser |
| NCCAA (1) | State | Head Coach |
| Lincoln Christian College | Ill. | Kevin Crawford |
| Two-Year College (7) | State | Head Coach |
| Allen County Community College | Kan. | Kurt Kohler |
| Central Community College-Columbus | Neb. | Mary Young |
| Clackamas Community College | Ore. | Kathie Woods |
| Phoenix College | Ariz. | Patrick Mooney |
| Redlands Community College | Okla. | Kristin Berglan |
| Southwestern Community College | Iowa | Rita Schroeder |
| Western Wyoming Community College | Wy. | Sue Dulaney |
| High School (144) | State | Head Coach |
| Airport High School | Mich. | Barbara Munch-Kohn |
| Alpine High School | Texas | Rick Keith |
| Altoona High School | Wis. | Ron "Duff" Martin |
| Anderson Valley High School | Calif. | Michael McDonald |
| Annapolis High School | Mich. | John Pace |
| Antioch High School | Ill. | Bob Schenk |
| Arvada High School | Colo. | Patti Hagemeyer |
| Batavia High School | Ill. | Lori Trippi-Payne |
| Bedford High School | Mich. | Jodi Manore |
| Bethpage High School | N.Y. | Anne DiPrima |
| Blue Valley West High School | Kan. | Terry Flynn |
| Bozeman High School | Mont. | Jo Ann Wilcox |
| Broadwater High School | Mont. | Jill Flynn |
| Buchholz High School | Fla. | Mika Robinson |
| Buckeye Union High School | Ariz. | Carol Jurn |
| Cape Henry Collegiate School | Va. | Marck Weiss |
| Cardinal Dougherty High School | Pa. | James Harrigan |
| Castle High School | Ind. | Fred Bracher |
| Cathedral High School | Ind. | Jean Kesterson |
| Centennial High School | Md. | Larry W. Schofield |
| Central Dauphin High School | Pa. | Bob Creason |
| Champion Christian High School | Calif. | Dan Swagerty |
| Charlotte Latin School | N.C. | Suzanne Pignetti |
| Clark High School | Texas | Kirby Jameson |
| Clinton High School | Iowa | Mark Massey |
| Convent of the Visitation | Minn. | Sarah Leach |
| Coronado High School | Colo. | Joan Powell |
| Darlington School | Ga. | Jim Linos |
| Decatur Community High School | Kan. | Pat Dorshorst |
| Denton High School | Texas | Heather N. Stewart |
| Desert Vista High School | Ariz. | Molly West |
| Dubois High School | Wy. | Tina Baker |
| Dundy County Schools | Neb. | Bill Wilson |
| East Detroit High School | Mich. | Ryan R. Welser |
| Euless Trinity High School | Texas | Susan Kaufman |
| Fergus High School | Mont. | Tara Taylor |
| Flowing Wells High School | Ariz. | Diane Swan |
| Garden Spot High School | Pa. | Dennis Werner |
| Garfield High School | Wash. | Leslie Hamann |
| Gateway High School | Colo. | Gary Gustafson |
| Girard High School | Kan. | Dale Coomes |
| Granbury High School | Texas | Tammy J. Clark |
| Grandville High School | Mich. | Kara Doyle |
| Greenfield High School | Wis. | Steve Landvatter |
| Grimsley High School | N.C. | Sue Leonard |
| Hamilton High School | Wis. | Bill Serb |
| Hammond Clark High School | Ind. | Carol Core |
| Hardin High School | Mont. | Laura Sundheim |
| Harrison High School | Ga. | Clay Taylor |
| Harrison High School | Colo. | Wayne A. Wetherby |
| Hastings St. Cecilia High School | Neb. | Alan Van Cura |
| Hathaway Brown School | Ohio | Kelly Holtz |
| Hauppauge High School | N.Y. | Jaak Raudsepp |
| Helias High School | Mo. | David Harris |
| Henry Clay High School | Ky. | Dale Grupe |
| Hettinger School District #13 | N.D. | Kevin Morast |
| Holbrook High School | Ariz. | Terra Strain |
| Hutto High School | Texas | Janiece Nelson |
| Immaculate Conception High School | Ill. | Jean Field |
| Ironwood Ridge High School - Boys | Ariz. | Bill Lang |
| Ironwood Ridge High School - Girls | Ariz. | Bill Lang |
| Ishpeming High School | Mich. | Jean Jandron |
| Jackson Heights High School | Kan. | Joe Baumchen |
| Jonesboro High School | Ark. | Jennifer Shipman |
| Keller Fossil Ridge High School | Texas | Sandy Troudt |
| Kenosha Bradford High School | Wis. | Kyle Yackley |
| Kimberly High School | Wis. | Jeff Van Lannen |
| King's West School | Wash. | Don Pearce |
| Lago Vista High School | Texas | Debbie Hansen |
| Lakeland Union High School | Wis. | Steven Prahl |
| Lakeside High School | Ark. | Leigh Ann Back |
| LeRoy High School | Ill. | Lane O'Connor |
| Liberal High School | Mo. | Regina Proffitt |
| Los Altos High School | Calif. | David Winn |
| Loyola Academy | Ill. | Jenny Morris |
| Lutcher High School | La. | Ricky LeBlanc |
| Mansfield Summit High School | Texas | Linda Alfaro |
| Marian Central Catholic High School | Ill. | Deb Rakers |
| Marysville High School | Mich. | John W. Knuth |
| Mater Dei Catholic High School | Ill. | Fred Rakers |
| Merrill High School | Wis. | Sally Pfund |
| Milwaukee Lutheran High School | Wis. | Sarah Bolz |
| Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School | Minn. | Julie Detjen |
| Mount Olive High School | N.J. | Lee Clowers |
| Mountain View High School | Calif. | Gerrie Phillips |
| Norfolk Collegiate School | Va. | Olga O'Donnell |
| North Cobb High School | Ga. | Kim Robertson |
| North Florida Christian School | Fla. | Christa Johnson |
| Oak Park High School | Mo. | Ken Corum |
| O'Fallon Township High School | Ill. | Corey Wallis |
| Omaha Central High School | Neb. | Jodi Dierks |
| Omaha Marian High School | Neb. | Rochelle Rohlfs |
| Osan American School | Inter. | Brian Swenty |
| Oshkosh West High School | Wis. | Cathy Spiegel |
| Our Lady of Good Counsel High School | Md. | Karen B. Kart |
| Palo Alto High School | Calif. | Theresa Carey |
| Pattonville High School | Mo. | Terry Funderburk |
| Paul M. Dorman High School | S.C. | Paula Kirkland |
| Pavilion Central School - Boys | N.Y. | Rob Milligan |
| Pharr San Juan Alamo High School | Texas | Cynthia Billescas |
| Pine Grove Area High School | Pa. | Daryl Wessner |
| Poth High School | Texas | Patti Zenner |
| Racine Lutheran High School | Wis. | Becky Demuth |
| Red Land High School | Pa. | Jeff Floyd |
| Red Lion Area High School | Pa. | Scott K. Musselman |
| Remsen Central High School | N.Y. | Jane A. White |
| Ross S. Sterling High School | Texas | Nadine Horne |
| St. Anthony Junior/Senior High School | Hawaii | Dan Molin |
| Saint Joseph Notre Dame | Calif. | Marcus Young |
| St. Mark's High School | Del. | Nancy Griskowitz |
| St. Mark's School of Texas - Boys | Texas | Kenneth Klenk |
| St. Martin's Episcopal School | La. | Linda Trevino |
| Seoul American High School | Inter. | Denny Hilgar |
| Shiloh Christian School | Ark. | Emilee Godsey |
| Smithtown High School | N.Y. | Maura Olga Stouter |
| South Spencer High School | Ind. | R. Dale White |
| Southington High School | Conn. | Richard Heitz |
| Southside Baptist Christian School | Va. | J. De Los Santos |
| Springside School | Pa. | Nick Smith |
| Stillwater Area High School | Minn. | Michele Parker |
| Stillwater High School | Okla. | Ryan Webber |
| Sunrise Mountain High School | Ariz. | Deb Moore |
| Tatnall School | Del. | Avis L. Vaught |
| The Bishop's School | Calif. | Tod Mattox |
| Thomas McKean High School - Boys | Del. | Trevor Hewitt |
| Thomas McKean High School - Girls | Del. | Trevor Hewitt |
| Towson Catholic High School | Md. | Charlie Loskarn |
| Traverse City West Senior High | Mich. | Jamie Al-Shamma |
| Trinity Preparatory School | Fla. | Kathleen M. Finnucan |
| Victoria Memorial High School | Texas | Melinda Kirst |
| Warren Woods Tower High School | Mich. | Sue Walker |
| Wasatch High School | Utah | Joe Mellen |
| Wayzata High School | Minn. | Scott Jackson |
| Western Branch High School | Va. | Elizabeth W. Lett |
| Westfield High School | Va. | Jim Bour |
| Westminster Christian Academy | Mo. | Tim Hall |
| Westminster Christian School | Fla. | Libby Ranero |
| Weyauwega-Fremont High School | Wis. | Rena Tomaszewski |
| Wheatland High School | Kan. | Rose Packard |
| Whitehall High School | Pa. | Judith A. Harakal |
| William Blount High School | Tenn. | Jami French |
| Wilton High School | Conn. | Jim Liptack |
| Woodland Baptist Christian School | N.C. | Ed Roop |
| The Woodlands High School | Texas | Dustie Bartolazzi |
