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Telephone 719-576-7777 • Facsimile 719-576-7778

www.avca.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 2, 2004

CONTACT: Jenifer Scheibler, AVCA director of events & awards

(719) 576-7777 ext. 109, jscheibler@avca.org

AVCA Honors Academic Excellence

Record Number Earn Prestigious Volleyball Team Academic Award

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. - The American Volleyball Coaches Association has named a record-number 304 volleyball programs the recipients of the 2003-04 AVCA Team Academic Award, bettering the previous high of 205 awarded last year (2002-03). The record increase represents a 48.3 percent jump from the 2002-03 total.

The award, initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors college and high school teams that displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale and a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale during the school year. Nominating head coaches must be AVCA members.

Recipients of the award range from NCAA Division I institutions to high school girls’ and boys’ teams. The college ranks produced 161 programs that met the requirements for the award. This year marked the most awards earned in Division II (31), Division III (48) and NAIA (27). Division I women’s programs (46) and two-year colleges (7) listed their second-highest award totals, just shy of the 47 and nine respective classification records. An additional highlight is that Stanford University became the first-ever men’s collegiate program to earn the honor.

A record-total 143 high school programs earned the distinction, including Ironwood Ridge High School (Oro Valley, Ariz.) and Thomas McKean High School (Wilmington, Del.) placing both boys’ and girls’ squads on the award list. The previous high for the prep ranks was 103 awards in 2002-03.

Over 700 different schools have won the award in the program’s 12-year history. Two institutions have earned it every year in Jonesboro High School (Jonesboro, Ark.) and Ross S. Sterling High School (Baytown, Texas).

Historically, schools from 49 states and two countries (outside the United States) have won the award. For 2003-04, the award-winning programs represent 43 states, the District of Columbia and Korea.

“The AVCA Team Academic Award captures the true essence of the student-athlete, and the AVCA is honored to recognize these schools for excellence in the classroom,” Katherine McConnell, AVCA executive director said. “We are especially pleased to bestow this prestigious award to a record number of teams for the third year in a row.”

Some of this year’s award recipients achieved success on the court, as well as in the classroom. A total of 36 teams that earned the 2003-04 AVCA Team Academic Award, also earned a berth in their respective collegiate postseason tournaments.

The national runner-up teams in both NCAA Division II and Division III were also earned the award in Concordia University (Minn.) and New York University, respectively.

Five of eight region champions in the 2003 NCAA Division III Championship field won the AVCA Team Academic award in Emory University (Ga.), New York University, Ohio Northern University, Williams College (Mass.) and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

For further notes and history on the AVCA Team Academic Award, please go to www.avca.org/awards/04TAAfacts.asp on the AVCA website.

Each school will receive a plaque, and each player a certificate commemorating the designation. Following is a list of the programs that earned the 2003-04 AVCA Team Academic Award, including the name of the head coach for the 2003 season.

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ADD 2 – 2003-04 AVCA Team Academic Award

NCAA Division I (46) Head Coach

American University D.C. Barry Goldberg

Appalachian State University N.C. Chad Callihan

Austin Peay State University Tenn. Cheryl Holt

Ball State University Ind. Randy Litchfield

Birmingham-Southern College Ala. Tonya Charland

Bowling Green State University Ohio Denise Van De Walle

Bucknell University Pa. Cindy Opalski

College of Charleston S.C. Sherry Dunbar

Creighton University Neb. Kirsten Bernthal Booth

University of Denver Colo. Beth Kuwata

Duquesne University Pa. Steven Opperman

Eastern Washington University Wash. Wade Benson

Elon University N.C. Mary Tendler

Indiana State University Ind. Julie Krofcheck

Iona College N.Y. Bob Weiner

Jacksonville State University Ala. Rick Nold

Kansas State University Kan. Suzie Fritz

Lamar University Texas Fiona Simmons

Lipscomb University Tenn. Brandon Rosenthal

Long Island University N.Y. Toby Rens

The University of Memphis Tenn. Carrie Yerty

Miami University Ohio Carolyn Condit

University of Missouri - Kansas City Mo. Steve Dallman

Morehead State University Ky. Jaime Gordon

University of Nebraska Neb. John Cook

University of New Mexico N.M. Kelley Sliva-McKee

Northern Arizona University Ariz. Michelle Hansen

Northwestern University Ill. Keylor Chan

Rice University Texas Genny Volpe

Seton Hall University N.J. Maureen Rafferty

Southeast Missouri State University Mo. Cindy Gannon

The University of Southern Mississippi Miss. Santiago Restrepo

Southwest Missouri State University Mo. Melissa Stokes

Stephen F. Austin State University Texas Debbie Humphreys

University of Tennessee at Martin Tenn. Chris Rushing

TCU Texas Prentice Lewis

University of Toledo Ohio Kent Miller

Troy State University Ala. Ginger Lowe

Valparaiso University Ind. Carin Avery

University of Virginia Va. Melissa Shelton

Virginia Tech Va. Greg Smith

Western Michigan University Mich. Cathy George

Wichita State University Kan. Chris Lamb

Winthrop University S.C. Joel McCartney

University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Wis. Debbie Kirch

University of Wyoming Wy. Jim Barnes

NCAA Men (1) Head Coach

Stanford University Calif. Don Shaw

ADD 3 – 2003-04 AVCA Team Academic Award

NCAA Division II (31) Head Coach

University of Alabama in Huntsville Ala. Laura Taube

Bellarmine University Ky. Dee Dee Olmstead

Catawba College N.C. Ginger Ashley

Central Missouri State University Mo. Peggy Martin

Chadron State College Neb. Dawn Brammer

Clarion University Pa. Tracey Fluharty

Concordia University Minn. Brady Starkey

Drury University Mo. Lawrence Anderson

Emporia State University Kan. Maxine Mehus

Harding University Ark. Keith Giboney

Hillsdale College Mich. Chris Gravel

Lewis University Ill. Karen K. Lockyer

Mesa State College Colo. Rusty Crick

Metro State College Colo. Debbie Hendricks

Michigan Tech University Mich. Krista Mikesch

University of Minnesota Duluth Minn. Jim Boos
Missouri Western State College Mo. Cindy Brauck

University of Nebraska-Omaha Neb. Rose Shires

University of North Dakota N.D. Maria Bruggeman

North Dakota State University N.D. Zaundra Bina

University of Northern Colorado Colo. Ron Alexander

Northern Kentucky University Ky. Carlos Chia

Northern State University S.D. Lisa Schriver

Pittsburg State University Kan. Ibraheem Suberu

Regis University Colo. Frank Lavrisha

University of South Dakota S.D. Brian Lamppa

Southern Arkansas University Ark. Shawna Laurendine

St. Andrews Presbyterian College N.C. Bill Rude

St. Mary's University (Texas) Texas Todd Caughlin

Texas Woman's University Texas Shelly Barberee

Wayne State College Neb. Sharon Vanis

NCAA Division III (48) Head Coach

Albright College Pa. Angela Peirce

Bluffton College Ohio Sara Wakefield

Carleton College Minn. Heidi Jaynes

Central College Iowa Kent Clayberg

University of Chicago Ill. Dorinda von Tersch

Clarkson University N.Y. Laura Mandell

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges Calif. Dianna Turner-Graves

Colby College Maine Candice Parent

Colorado College Colo. Rick Swan

Concordia University Wisconsin Wis. Joseph Cawley

Connecticut College Conn. Josh Edmed

Cornell College Iowa Jeff Meeker

Defiance College Ohio David Kwan

Dominican University Ill. Meghan Maxwell

University of Dubuque Iowa Stacey Ruff

Eastern Mennonite University Va. Ruth-Anne Wideman

Elmhurst College Ill. Julie Hall

Emory University Ga. Jennifer McDowell

Grove City College Pa. Susan K. Roberts

Huntingdon College Ala. Terina Gantt

Kalamazoo College Mich. Jeanne Hess

Lakeland College Wis. Chad Schreiber

ADD 4 – 2003-04 AVCA Team Academic Award

NCAA Division III cont. Head Coach

Macalester College Minn. Steph Schleuder

Medaille College N.Y. Laura Edholm

Moravian College Pa. Shelley Bauder

College of Mount St. Joseph Ohio Michele Benoit

New York University N.Y. Edward Caesar

Oberlin College Ohio Kristen Surovjak

Ohio Northern University Ohio Kate Witte

Otterbein College Ohio Sharon Sexton

Pomona-Pitzer Colleges Calif. Valerie Cowan

Rochester Institute of Technology N.Y. Roger Worsley

College of Saint Benedict Minn. Michelle Blaeser

Saint John Fisher College N.Y. James Chan

St. Joseph's College-Patchoque N.Y. Sean E. Holden

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Minn. Mike Lester

University of St. Thomas Minn. Thanh Pham

Simpson College Iowa Lana Smith

Skidmore College N.Y. Hilda Arrechea

Southwestern University Texas Shannon Carlson

Stevens Institute of Technology N.J. J.J. O'Connell

Swarthmore College Pa. Harleigh Leach

Vassar College N.Y. Jonathan Penn

Washington & Jefferson College Pa. Fred Wallace

Wesleyan University Conn. Gale Lackey

Williams College Mass. Fran Vandermeer

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Wis. Sheila Perkins

Wittenberg University Ohio Paco Labrador

NAIA (27) Head Coach

Bethel College Kan. Bev Mayer

Briar Cliff University Iowa Mary Schroeder Miller

Carlow College Pa. Julie Gaul

Carroll College Mont. Amy Heuiser

College of Saint Mary Neb. Trish Siedlik

Concordia University Neb. Randy Krieger

Cumberland University Tenn. Dwayne Deering

Dakota Wesleyan University S.D. Kylee A. Johnson

Dickinson State University N.D. Dave Moody

Goshen College Ind. Kent Nafziger

Hastings College Neb. Fred Aubuchon

Lee University Tenn. Andrea Hudson

Lindsey Wilson College Ky. Audra Nothwehr

McPherson College Kan. Nathalea Stephenson

MidAmerica Nazarene University Kan. Ken Carver

Midland Lutheran College Neb. Joan Rickert

Mills College Calif. Marla Mundis

Mount Marty College S.D. Tracey Grotenhuis

Olivet Nazarene University Ill. Brenda Williams

St. Ambrose University Iowa Bruce Billingsley

The College of St. Scholastica Minn. Dana Moore

Saint Vincent College Pa. Susan Hozak

Savannah College of Art and Design Ga. Glenn Cox

South Dakota Tech S.D. Doug Tabbert

Trinity Christian College Ill. Sue Gasperec

Urbana University Ohio Jeremy W. Wise

Waldorf College Iowa Jody Dosser

ADD 5 – 2003-04 AVCA Team Academic Award

NCCAA (1) Head Coach

Lincoln Christian College Ill. Kevin Crawford

Two-Year College (7) Head Coach

Allen County Community College Kan. Kurt Kohler

Central Community College-Columbus Neb. Mary Young

Clackamas Community College Ore. Kathie Woods

Phoenix College Ariz. Patrick Mooney

Redlands Community College Okla. Kristin Berglan

Southwestern Community College Iowa Rita Schroeder

Western Wyoming Community College Wy. Sue Dulaney

High School (143) Head Coach

Airport High School Mich. Barbara Munch-Kohn

Alpine High School Texas Rick Keith

Altoona High School Wis. Ron "Duff" Martin

Anderson Valley High School Calif. Michael McDonald

Annapolis High School Mich. John Pace

Antioch High School Ill. Bob Schenk

Arvada High School Colo. Patti Hagemeyer

Batavia High School Ill. Lori Trippi-Payne

Bedford High School Mich. Jodi Manore

Bethpage High School N.Y. Anne DiPrima

Blue Valley West High School Kan. Terry Flynn

Bozeman High School Mont. Jo Ann Wilcox

Broadwater High School Mont. Jill Flynn

Buchholz High School Fla. Mika Robinson

Buckeye Union High School Ariz. Carol Jurn

Cape Henry Collegiate School Va. Marck Weiss

Cardinal Dougherty High School Pa. James Harrigan

Castle High School Ind. Fred Bracher

Cathedral High School Ind. Jean Kesterson

Centennial High School Md. Larry W. Schofield

Central Dauphin High School Pa. Bob Creason

Champion Christian High School Calif. Dan Swagerty

Charlotte Latin School N.C. Suzanne Pignetti

Clark High School Texas Kirby Jameson

Clinton High School Iowa Mark Massey

Convent of the Visitation Minn. Sarah Leach

Coronado High School Colo. Joan Powell

Darlington School Ga. Jim Linos

Decatur Community High School Kan. Pat Dorshorst

Denton High School Texas Heather N. Stewart

Desert Vista High School Ariz. Molly West

Dubois High School Wy. Tina Baker

Dundy County Schools Neb. Bill Wilson

East Detroit High School Mich. Ryan R. Welser

Euless Trinity High School Texas Susan Kaufman

Fergus High School Mont. Tara Taylor

Flowing Wells High School Ariz. Diane Swan

Garden Spot High School Pa. Dennis Werner

Garfield High School Wash. Leslie Hamann

Gateway High School Colo. Gary Gustafson

Girard High School Kan. Dale Coomes

Granbury High School Texas Tammy J. Clark

Grandville High School Mich. Kara Doyle

Greenfield High School Wis. Steve Landvatter

Grimsley High School N.C. Sue Leonard

ADD 6 – 2003-04 AVCA Team Academic Award

High School cont. Head Coach

Hamilton High School Wis. Bill Serb

Hammond Clark High School Ind. Carol Core

Hardin High School Mont. Laura Sundheim

Harrison High School Ga. Clay Taylor

Harrison High School Colo. Wayne A. Wetherby

Hastings St. Cecilia High School Neb. Alan Van Cura

Hathaway Brown School Ohio Kelly Holtz

Hauppauge High School N.Y. Jaak Raudsepp

Helias High School Mo. David Harris

Henry Clay High School Ky. Dale Grupe

Hettinger School District #13 N.D. Kevin Morast

Holbrook High School Ariz. Terra Strain

Hutto High School Texas Janiece Nelson

Immaculate Conception High School Ill. Jean Field

Ironwood Ridge High School - Boys Ariz. Bill Lang

Ironwood Ridge High School - Girls Ariz. Bill Lang

Ishpeming High School Mich. Jean Jandron

Jackson Heights High School Kan. Joe Baumchen

Jonesboro High School Ark. Jennifer Shipman

Keller Fossil Ridge High School Texas Sandy Troudt

Kenosha Bradford High School Wis. Kyle Yackley

Kimberly High School Wis. Jeff Van Lannen

King's West School Wash. Don Pearce

Lago Vista High School Texas Debbie Hansen

Lakeland Union High School Wis. Steven Prahl

Lakeside High School Ark. Leigh Ann Back

LeRoy High School Ill. Lane O'Connor

Liberal High School Mo. Regina Proffitt

Los Altos High School Calif. David Winn

Loyola Academy Ill. Jenny Morris

Lutcher High School La. Ricky LeBlanc

Mansfield Summit High School Texas Linda Alfaro

Marian Central Catholic High School Ill. Deb Rakers

Marysville High School Mich. John W. Knuth

Mater Dei Catholic High School Ill. Fred Rakers

Merrill High School Wis. Sally Pfund

Milwaukee Lutheran High School Wis. Sarah Bolz

Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School Minn. Julie Detjen

Mount Olive High School N.J. Lee Clowers

Mountain View High School Calif. Gerrie Phillips

Norfolk Collegiate School Va. Olga O'Donnell

North Cobb High School Ga. Kim Robertson

North Florida Christian School Fla. Christa Johnson

Oak Park High School Mo. Ken Corum

O'Fallon Township High School Ill. Corey Wallis

Omaha Central High School Neb. Jodi Dierks

Omaha Marian High School Neb. Rochelle Rohlfs

Osan American School Inter. Brian Swenty

Oshkosh West High School Wis. Cathy Spiegel

Our Lady of Good Counsel High School Md. Karen B. Kart

Palo Alto High School Calif. Theresa Carey

Pattonville High School Mo. Terry Funderburk

Paul M. Dorman High School S.C. Paula Kirkland

Pavilion Central School - Boys N.Y. Rob Milligan

Pharr San Juan Alamo High School Texas Cynthia Billescas

Pine Grove Area High School Pa. Daryl Wessner

Poth High School Texas Patti Zenner

ADD 7 – 2003-04 AVCA Team Academic Award

High School cont. Head Coach

Racine Lutheran High School Wis. Becky Demuth

Red Land High School Pa. Jeff Floyd

Red Lion Area High School Pa. Scott K. Musselman

Remsen Central High School N.Y. Jane A. White

Ross S. Sterling High School Texas Nadine Horne

St. Anthony Junior/Senior High School Hawaii Dan Molin

Saint Joseph Notre Dame Calif. Marcus Young

St. Mark's School of Texas - Boys Texas Kenneth Klenk

St. Martin's Episcopal School La. Linda Trevino

Seoul American High School Inter. Denny Hilgar

Shiloh Christian School Ark. Emilee Godsey

Smithtown High School N.Y. Maura Olga Stouter

South Spencer High School Ind. R. Dale White

Southington High School Conn. Richard Heitz

Southside Baptist Christian School Va. J. De Los Santos

Springside School Pa. Nick Smith

Stillwater Area High School Minn. Michele Parker

Stillwater High School Okla. Ryan Webber

Sunrise Mountain High School Ariz. Deb Moore

Tatnall School Del. Avis L. Vaught

The Bishop's School Calif. Tod Mattox

Thomas McKean High School - Boys Del. Trevor Hewitt

Thomas McKean High School - Girls Del. Trevor Hewitt

Towson Catholic High School Md. Charlie Loskarn

Traverse City West Senior High Mich. Jamie Al-Shamma

Trinity Preparatory School Fla. Kathleen M. Finnucan

Victoria Memorial High School Texas Melinda Kirst

Warren Woods Tower High School Mich. Sue Walker

Wasatch High School Utah Joe Mellen

Wayzata High School Minn. Scott Jackson

Western Branch High School Va. Elizabeth W. Lett

Westfield High School Va. Jim Bour

Westminster Christian Academy Mo. Tim Hall

Westminster Christian School Fla. Libby Ranero

Weyauwega-Fremont High School Wis. Rena Tomaszewski

Wheatland High School Kan. Rose Packard

Whitehall High School Pa. Judith A. Harakal

William Blount High School Tenn. Jami French

Wilton High School Conn. Jim Liptack

Woodland Baptist Christian School N.C. Ed Roop

The Woodlands High School Texas Dustie Bartolazzi

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