TicketsAug. 23, 2006
LEXINGTON, Ky.---The University of Cincinnati volleyball program has joined some special company, as the Bearcats were recently recognized as one of 54 NCAA Division I teams nationally to earn the Game Plan/AVCA Academic Award. The accolade recognizes college and high school programs across the country for academic success by the entire team.
The standards for receiving the award are set high, as teams must hold a collective grade point average of 3.30 for the school year. The Bearcats ended the 2005-06 school year at 3.43
"We put just as much emphasis on success in the classroom as we do on the court," seventh-year UC head coach Reed Sunahara stated. "For this team to be honored with such a prestigious award says a great deal about the quality of student-athletes we have in this program. We are excited about what this group has achieved both academically and athletically and look for more good things this year."
The 2005-06 season marked one of the best in the history of the award which was instituted in 1982. A total of 287 programs were honored this year, second only to the 305 that were recognized in 2003-04. Cincinnati was one of only five BIG EAST schools on the AVCA award list, joining DePaul, Notre Dame, Syracuse and Villanova.
The 2006 season is just around the corner for UC as it opens the campaign this weekend, hosting the State Farm Bearcats Invitational presented by the Vernon Manor Hotel. Cincinnati's first match of the event is set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday against Western Michigan. Season tickets and Olympic Sports Passes are available by calling 1-877-CATS-TIX or logging onto UCBearcats.com.