The Hope College volleyball team has claimed the United States Marine Corps/American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award for the 2020-21 school year.
The nationally-ranked Flying Dutch earned the honor for the 12th consecutive season and the 13th time overall.
The AVCA award, initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors volleyball teams that maintain a year-long grade-point average of 3.30 on a 4.0 scale or 4.10 on a 5.0 scale.
Under the direction of head coach Becky Schmidt, the Flying Dutch concluded the 2021 spring season as Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association Tournament champions and ranked ninth in the final AVCA NCAA Division III poll. Hope finished with a 9-1 record.
The Flying Dutch were among 1,275 United States Marine Corps/AVCA Team Academic Award recipients nationally and 233 from Division III.
“Our team's commitment to academic success is inspiring. They are not only thoughtful, diligent, and hard-working in their classes but also take advantage of opportunities that extend their learning outside the classroom,” Schmidt said. “In a year that forced many to flex and take new approaches to learning, these student-athletes proved their mettle in maintaining our tradition of academic success.”