LEXINGTON, Ky. — For the seventh time during the last nine seasons, Saint Mary's Volleyball has received the annual USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award, given to volleyball programs for their academic excellence in the classroom.
 
The award, which began being handed out during the 1992-93 academic year, honors volleyball programs that maintain a year-long grade-point average of at least 3.30 on a 4.00 scale, or at least a 4.10 on a 5.00 scale.
 
The cumulative GPA of the 2021 SMC Volleyball program sits at 3.36, with a strong nine individuals boasting GPAs north of 3.50. Six individuals were featured at the end of the year for their efforts on both the volleyball court and the classroom, taking home WCC All-Academic awards. Selbie Christensen, Kelsey Knudsen, Jennifer "Boo" Laird, and Ella Sandt were all on the first team, while Chandler Cowell and Trinity Durfee were on the honorable mention list.
 
Across all levels encompassed by the AVCA, over 1,200 volleyball teams took home the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award for 2022. At the NCAA Division I level, the University of Wisconsin was one of eight women's teams that was featured on the list that also won a national championship.
 
The 2022 indoor season officially kicks off on Friday, August 26 as the Gaels open the year at the Boise State Invitational, a two-day event that will feature three matches. The home opener for SMC is scheduled for Wednesday, August 31 at 7:00 pm against Sacramento State.