HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Northern Kentucky University was one of 303 schools recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Association as part of its GamePlan/AVCA Team Academic Award program.

NKU posted a 3.49 cumulative grade point average during the 2006-07 academic year to earn the AVCA award. The Norse, coached by Carlos Chia, also notched their 14th consecutive 20-win season last fall by finishing 20-13.

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

Recipients of the award range from NCAA Division I institutions to high school girls’ and boys’ teams. The college ranks produced 163 programs that met the requirements for the award in 2006-07. In addition to the record number of NCAA Division I recipients, NCAA Division III (53) exceeded its previous high mark of 48, set in 2003-04. There were 30 NCAA Division II schools honored, the third highest total for that division.

The NAIA had 16 of its member schools achieve the honor this year, its fourth-highest total in the award’s history. Seven schools in the two-year college category attained the mark, tying the third-highest total in that division.

“The AVCA is again privileged to present the GamePlan/AVCA Team Academic Award to these outstanding intuitions,” said Kathy DeBoer, AVCA executive director. “We congratulate the student-athletes for their hard work in the classroom and thank our coaches for instilling this dedication in the young women and men of our sport.