Men’s Volleyball Claims First-Ever AVCA Team Academic Award

2016-17 AVCA TEAM ACADEMIC AWARD RECIPIENT LIST 

BEVERLY, Mass. – The Endicott men's volleyball team has earned an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for its efforts in the classroom during the 2016-17 academic year. It's the first-ever AVCA Team Academic Award in program history.

Endicott also was one of a record 822 teams to claim the award for maintaining a 3.30 cumulative team grade point average (GPA) or better throughout the school year. More importantly, the Gulls were just one of five NCAA Division III men's squads to pick up the award. Meanwhile, on the year, Endicott compiled a 3.34 cumulative GPA, the highest number in program history.

"This award demonstrates how our young men have dedicated themselves to every aspect of being a student-athlete," said Endicott men's volleyball head coach George Chapell '08. "Our guys take great pride in continuing to build upon our strong foundation while also setting a new bar for holding each other accountable. I'm very proud of what they have been able to accomplish, and for where we are headed as a program."

The AVCA Team Academic Award, celebrating its 25th year, 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 532 team increase over the span of the last decade. Since the award's inception in 1993, the amount of award winners has increased from 62 to its current number of 822.

YEAR IN REVIEW

Endicott posted a 21-11 overall record (12-0 NECC), and captured its fifth straight conference title before falling to No. 7 nationally ranked Stevens, 3-1, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Gulls also secured their sixth 20-win season in program history, and made their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance. 

In the classroom, Endicott saw a program record five student-athletes earn New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Academic All-Conference Team laurels in addition to today's AVCA Team Academic Award announcement. The five student-athletes named to the NECC Academic All-Conference Team were Matt Bozek (Exeter, N.H.), Adam Dake (Victor, N.Y.), Ryan Healy (Fair Lawn, N.J.), Jacob Newman (Chester, N.H.), and Devin Racey (Voorheesville, N.Y.). 

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