LEXINGTON, Ky. -- In an announcement made Monday by the United State Marine Corps (USMC) and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), four SCAC programs earned the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2020-2021 season.
Colorado College, Southwestern University, University of St. Thomas (Texas) and Trinity University were four of the record 233 Division III women's programs nationwide to be honored for recording a minimum combined 3.30 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale, or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale.
It marked the eighth year in a row as well as the ninth time in the last 10 years for Colorado College. CC, which was recognized for the 18th time since the award was first presented at the conclusion of the 1992-93 academic year, is tied for 14th all-time among all Division III programs.
Southwestern was recognized for the first time since the 2016-17 academic year.
The award for St. Thomas is its third overall and second-straight after first earning the honor back in 2007 when the celts were honored while a member of the NAIA.
Trinity has earned the recognition for the fifth time and has done so in back-to-back fashion twice (2012-13, 2013-14 and 2019-20, 2020-21).
The four conference teams earning Team Academic Award recognition is the highest for the conference since five teams from the SCAC were recognized during the 2013-14 academic year.