BROWNWOOD, Texas – The Howard Payne University volleyball team has been named a recipient of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for a second straight year. It is also the second year that HPU has been the only American Southwest Conference school to be honored by the AVCA.

Howard Payne qualified for the 2009-10 award with a higher cumulative GPA (3.33) than last year (3.31). Of the 14 players on the 2009-10 roster, 6 players maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher thus earning them Honor Roll distinction and of those 6 players, 4 of those had perfect 4.00.

“I am very proud of our players’ focus and dedication to their studies here at Howard Payne,” said HPU volleyball coach Ken Carver. “To be honored for the second straight year with the AVCA Team Academic Award speaks very well of our players performance in the classroom.”

HPU placed six players this season on the ASC Spring Academic All-Conference which further shows the success of the volleyball team academically. Head coach Ken Carver wants each of his student-athletes to strive towards being excellent in everything they do on and off the court.

“Being a student-athlete and balancing all of the demands on their time is no easy task. To see our players not only accomplish that, but do it at such a high level speaks volumes of their dedication and ability to consistently perform in their classes.” Carver added.

The award, which was initiated 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.

-Courtesy Howard Payne University Sports Information Department