LEXINGTON, Ky. - - The 2007 Madonna University volleyball team was among 21 NAIA schools recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Association today with the AVCA Team Academic Award.

The award, which was initiated by the association during 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. A record total of 353 teams in all divisions were honored this year, easily besting the old record of 308 set last year.

The Madonna program has time and again proven its commitment to academic excellence. Over the past five years, Crusader volleyball players have been recognized with WHAC academic awards 20 times. A more impressive number is the 15 All-American Scholar Athlete selections bestowed upon MU by the NAIA.

"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?"

The Crusaders - who posted a team GPA of 3.31 during the 2007-08 school year - open their 22^nd season of volleyball on August 20 at home against Spring Arbor.