St. John's University Athletics
Red Storm Volleyball Earns AVCA Team Academic Award
7/25/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
2015-16 AVCA Team Academic Award
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QUEENS, N.Y. - For the 11th time in program history, the St. John's volleyball team has been honored with the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award.
A record 764 teams received the honor for the 2015-16 academic year, including six from the BIG EAST Conference and a total of 132 NCAA Division I squads.
"I am proud of not only the athletic accomplishments of the volleyball program, but their efforts to continue to strive for the best academically," said Assistant Director of Academic Support, Victoria Laemmel. "I'd also like to recognize three student-athletes, Margherita Bianchin, Karin Palgutova and Nikki Sen who earned a perfect 4.0 spring semester GPA."
The Red Storm finished the 2015-16 academic year with a 3.51 cumulative grade-point average (GPA), meeting the mandatory 3.30 to be considered for the honor.
"Once again, I am impressed with our team's ability to accomplish such high academic goals during an extremely rigorous season of training and competition," said Head Coach Joanne Persico. "Earning this honor 11 times in our short history proves that academics are a priority at St. John's volleyball."
St. John's has received the AVCA Team Academic Award more than any other team in the BIG EAST Conference. Since the program's inception in 1994, the team has earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better every year.
The Johnnies were previously honored by the AVCA in 2014-15 (3.32 GPA), 2013-14 (3.40 GPA), 2010-11 (3.31 GPA), 2008-09 (3.30 GPA), 2006-07 (3.45 GPA), 2000-01 (3.30 GPA), 1999-00 (3.30 GPA), 1997-98 (3.44 GPA), 1996-97 (3.54 GPA) and 1995-96 (3.48 GPA).
The Red Storm opens the 2016 season on Friday, Aug. 26, at the Bryant Hampton Inn-vitational in Smithtown, R.I. St. John's will play a doubleheader on Friday, facing Rutgers and Bryant at the Chace Athletic Facility.
