BU Volleyball earns USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award

2021 USMC/AVCA Team Academic Awards

LEXINGTON, Ky. - For the ninth time in school history, the Bellevue University volleyball team has earned the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2021 season, the USMC/AVCA announced today. In total, over 1,200 teams across all high school and collegiate divisions earned the academic award.

The Bruins combined for a 3.48 team GPA for the 2021-22 academic year. Two Bruins (Sierra Athen and Sienna Black) earned a perfect 4.0 GPA while eight obtained a 3.75 GPA or above.

The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that maintain 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.

This year's academic award was earned by eight women's teams that also won national collegiate championships on the court and in the sand during the 2021–22 season:

University of Wisconsin (NCAA Division I)
University of Tampa (NCAA Division II)
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (NCAA Division III)
Iowa Western Community College (NJCAA Division I)
Columbia International University (NCCAA Division I)
University of Southern California (NCAA Beach)
Colorado Mesa University (AVCA Small College Beach - Division II)
Stevenson University (AVCA Small College Beach - Division III)

Bellevue ended the season with a 26-8 overall record, finishing second in both the NSAA regular season as well as the NSAA Tournament. This season also marked the 14th time BU has advanced to the NAIA National Tournament and the first time the Bruins have advanced out of pool play action into bracket play since 2000. The Bruins defeated No. 16 Ottawa (Ariz.) and No. 8 Corban before falling to top-ranked Jamestown in the NAIA Final Eight. 

The Bruins ended the 2021 season ranked No. 9 in the final NAIA Top 25 Poll.