AVCA Recognizes Volleyball for Academic Accomplishments
The Blue Devils were also honored for their Dig Pink fundraising efforts.
The Central Connecticut volleyball team earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award for the 2017-18 season it was announced by the organization. The Blue Devils have achieved the team academic honor for 11 consecutive seasons. CCSU was also recognized for accomplishing their Dig Pink fundraising goal.
The AVCA honored an all-time high 973 teams across all levels, including 165 NCAA Division I programs. The AVCA Team Academic Award was instituted in 1992-93 to honor collegiate and high school volleyball teams that maintained at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale. Additionally, schools that reached their Dig Pink® fundraising goals through the Side-Out Foundation were also recognized. Dig Pink® is a nationwide movement to provide meaningful and impactful experiences for athletes while inspiring and empowering them to come together in support of the stage IV breast cancer community. Each year, hundreds of teams across the country participate in the Dig Pink® Rally.
The Blue Devils had 10 student-athletes named to the Northeast Conference Fall Academic Honor Roll, including five who were named to the Commissioner's Honor Roll for posting a 3.75 GPA or better. Maddie Smith was named the NEC Volleyball Scholar-Athlete. In addition to the success in the classroom, CCSU posted a 19-8 record and won a share of the conference's regular-season title with an 11-3 mark in NEC play. The Blue Devils advanced to the championship match at the NEC Tournament before falling in five sets at LIU Brooklyn.
CCSU will open the season at the Jack Kaiser Volleyball Classic on Aug. 24-25 hosted by St. John's University. Central will open the campaign against Eastern Michigan.