West Central Reporter

Western Illinois University's volleyball team has been recognized for its academic achievements, receiving the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Honors. The Leathernecks achieved a team average GPA of 3.617 in the spring semester and 3.465 in the fall semester.

This marks the fourth consecutive year that Western Illinois' volleyball program has earned AVCA honors, and the twelfth time since 2006.

"I am very proud of the work members of our team put into their academics," said Western Illinois University volleyball coach Dale Starr. "They are all very diligent about their classes and understand the importance of being a 'student-athlete'. We will continue to raise the bar for this program both on and off the court. It's a great day to be a Leatherneck!"

More than 1,400 collegiate and high school volleyball programs maintained a year-long grade-point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (or 4.1 on a 5.0 scale), earning them recognition for their classroom excellence during the recently completed academic year.

"We are pleased that the record-setting success of the 2023-24 season on the court has extended to the classroom, too, as evidenced by more programs earning the Team Academic Award than ever before," said AVCA CEO Dr. Jaime Gordon. "This is a great example of how committed our coaches are when it comes to helping their players reach their full potential as both students and athletes."

The Leathernecks are set to begin play with an exhibition/scrimmage on August 24 before opening their regular season at Northern Illinois on August 30.