LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of New Mexico volleyball team was honored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) on Monday, earning the AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2015-2016 season.
The Lobos, under 10th-year head coach Jeff Nelson, finished with a 3.32 cumulative GPA for the 2015-16 academic year. It’s the ninth straight semester — and the 27th semester in the last 28 — that the team posted at least a 3.0 GPA.
“I am extremely proud of our team,” Nelson said. “These young women work so hard on and off the court. One of our academic goals each year is to be on the AVCA Academic Awards list. It is a great honor and shows the commitment of the entire staff here and students to quality academics.
“I want to thank our academic staff of Brian Ferguson and Chris Baca and of course Paul Krebs for their outstanding efforts for our student athletes.”
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 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
131 Division I schools earned the honor for the 2015-16 academic year.
Overall, New Mexico has earned the honor eight times, previously being recognized by the AVCA in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2015.
The Lobos open their season in just over a month as they host a four-team tournament featuring Arizona State, Abilene Christian, Idaho and Fairfield at Johnson Center on August 26-27.