Wayne Kreklow's Tigers coupled a banner competitive year with a record year in the classroom.
COLUMBIA, Mo. - After winning the SEC Championship while putting together a 35-1 season in 2013, Mizzou volleyball also excelled in the classroom, earning the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award, as announced by the AVCA on Monday (Aug. 4).
The award, which was initiated by the AVCA in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining 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. NCAA Division I recorded their highest-ever total number of recipients, honoring 134 programs.
"Our kids just continue to do the right things on and off the court," head coach Wayne Kreklow said. "To have a year like we did last year - winning the SEC and finishing undefeated - while having that type of success in the classroom says a lot about our kids and what we expect here at Mizzou. With every win last fall, the hype built and so did the distractions. But our kids stayed the course and had one of our best academic years alongside what is probably our best competitive season as well."
Mizzou reset a program record with a 3.42 grade-point-average last semester and all but one eligible player was named to the SEC Honor Roll as well. Additionally, each of the eligible Tiger freshmen landed on the SEC's Freshman Honor Roll this year.
The defending SEC Champions will open training camp next Monday (Aug. 11). For all the latest on Mizzou volleyball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on twitter @MizzouVB.