WEST HARTFORD – The University of Hartford volleyball team has received an AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2015-16 season, the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced today. It marks the second-straight year and the fifth time in the last six years that the Hawks have been so honored.
 
"It is quite an honor to be recognized by the AVCA for our team's outstanding academic achievement," Head Coach Mitch Kallick said. "Our student-athletes put a lot of pride in what they do – both on and off the court – and you can see that reflected in their grades this past academic year. "
 
The Hawks had a cumulative GPA of 3.57 for the 2015-16 school year, with nine different players earning at least a 3.5 over the two semesters. America East All-Academic Team member Erinn Lavelle (civil engineering) led the way with a 3.95 for the year, while America East All-Rookie Team honoree Paulina Modestow (art) posted a 3.91 and America East Player of the Week honoree (Nov. 9) Katy Henchy (communication) added a 3.87.
 
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. 
 
Hartford was among 131 Division I programs to earn the recognition. Girls high school led the way with the number of recipients of 260, NCAA Division II reached a new record with a total of 119 honorees, while NCAA Division III had the second-most honorees this year with a total of 140 schools, matching last year's record number.


The AVCA Team Academic Award is the single largest award offered by quantity of schools, players and coaches honored. Since the 2000-2001 season, the number of recipients has increased every single year but two, while amassing a 475-team increase over the span of the last decade. Since the award's inception in 1993, the number of award winners has increased from 62 to its current level of 762.
 
Over 1,000 different schools have earned the award in the program's 24-year history, with exactly 7,640 awards having been given out in total.
 
The Hawks open their 2016 campaign on Aug. 26 at the Hampton Inn-Vitational, hosted by Bryant University, in Smithfield, R.I.