Aug. 4, 2008

WASHINGTON, D.C. -

The Georgetown University women's volleyball team has earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for 2007-08 having earned a team cumulative grade point average of 3.348. The Hoyas were one of an AVCA record 353 teams and 70 Division I women's teams to earn the distinction.

For head coach Arlisa Williams it is the second time in her three years on the Hilltop the team has garnered the recognition. GU earned AVCA Team Academic honors for the second consecutive year and third time in program history, having won in 2007 and 1996.

"Excellent results can only be achieved with a strong work ethic," head coach Arlisa Williams said. "Student-athletes recruited to the Georgetown University Volleyball Program will have the work ethic, competitiveness and energy to excel in the classroom, on the court and in the University and local community. Each of our student-athletes has bought into this philosophy and has effectively learned to balance academics and athletics."

The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale.

"This result is just phenomenal!" said AVCA Executive Director Kathy DeBoer. "Look at this in context: We have coaches representing about 3,000 different academic institutions. Of that total, 353, or nearly 12%, coach teams with a grade point average of 3.3 or better! How can you not be proud of that?"

Georgetown begins their 2008 season on Friday, August 29 when they take on George Mason at 7 p.m. in Arlington, Va. on the opening night of the D.C. Classic.