July 20, 2012

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Rice volleyball team has been named a recipient of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2011-12 season, the organization announced on Friday (July 20).

The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, was designed to honor collegiate and high school volleyball teams which displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year. To be eligible teams had to maintain 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.

As a team the Owls maintained a 3.40 cumulative grade point average for the fall and spring semesters. The AVCA recognized 102 women's and men's Division I volleyball programs.

Under the direction of head coach Genny Volpe, now in her ninth year at the helm of the program, the Rice volleyball team was the Conference USA runner-up last season with a 13-7 league record. The Owls open the upcoming 2012 season at home in Tudor Fieldhouse against the U.S. Air Force Academy on Aug. 24.