Fulton, Mo. – July 13, 2023: The American Volleyball Coaches Association announced today that the Westminster College Blue Jays volleyball team has received the prestigious 2023 USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award. The recognition is a collaboration with a long history between the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). Together, the two organizations have recognized academically high-achieving volleyball teams since 1992.
To receive the award, teams must collectively achieve a year-long grade point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale. Westminster is among four NCAA Division III colleges in Missouri to receive the Team Academic Award this year.
AVCA CEO Jamie Gordon emphasized in an AVCA press release that the recognition is a reflection of coaching excellence.
"The commitment our coaches make to help their student-athletes pursue the best versions of themselves is evident in the academic accomplishments highlighted today," Gordon said.
Under the leadership of Dalton Tucker, Westminster's head volleyball coach, the Blue Jays this season advanced to the St. Louis Intercollegiate Conference Tournament, where they defeated the previously undefeated Greenville University Panthers in the semifinals. The Blue Jays then advanced to the championship game, losing to Fontbonne University after a tremendous effort.
"I am extremely proud of our team and their work ethic," Tucker says. "Our student-athletes attend Westminster to focus strongly on academics while remaining NCAA athletes with a commitment to excellence, and this award is a testament to how hard they work both on and off the court:"
