July 24, 2009

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The East Carolina volleyball team is one of 71 NCAA Division I volleyball programs to earn the 2008-09 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award, according to an announcement by the organization Tuesday.

First instituted in 1992, the award is bestowed upon collegiate and high school volleyball programs that maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.00 for the academic year. The Pirates, who accrued a 3.39 cumulative team GPA, joined Marshall, Memphis, Rice and Southern Miss as Conference USA's award recipients.

"This award is a great representation of our ladies' commitment in the classroom," head coach Pati Rolf stated. "To successfully balance a full academic load with responsibilities they have on the court just speaks volumes to this group's character."

Thirteen of 15 ECU players earned individual recognition on the University's 2008-09 Honor Roll for the fall and spring semesters, while 10 student-athletes were selected to either the Chancellor's List (4.0 GPA) or the Dean's List (3.5 or higher).

"We are so pleased to receive this award," senior outside hitter Katie Prast explained. "It shows that our team is not only dedicated on the court but also in the classroom. I am very proud to be part of a group that works as hard as we do."

According to the AVCA, 409 men's and women's teams, both at the high school and collegiate level, met the requirements for the award in 2008-09. The mark established a new all-time high, surpassing the 354 schools that had received honors a year ago.