The United State Marine Corps (USMC) and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced today that a record 1,313 teams have earned the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2019-2020 season, which included the Siena Saints volleyball program. The Saints win the award for the third time in program history, and for the first time since 1997.

The 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.

The Saints put together a 3.43 total team GPA over the 2019-20 school year, with junior Jessica Eblin and sophomore Abby Huffman scoring MAAC All-Academic honors. In the spring, the Saints scored their highest GPA of the two semesters with a 3.53 GPA. On the court, the Saints put together a seven-win improvement from the previous season, scoring an 11-18 overall record in 2019-20.

The 2020 United States Marine Corp partnership with AVCA has been developed to engage with key publics that are integral to meeting recruiting objectives. The United States Marine Corps looks forward to building enduring relationships with the AVCA member community and lending our support to those coaches and athletic facilitators who help young Americans win battles every day.

The AVCA, with its headquarters in Lexington, Ky., is managed by Associations International. The mission of the AVCA is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy and professional development. With a membership of over 8,000 and counting, the AVCA provides a professional network for those individuals and companies dedicated to enhancing and promoting the sport. Members include collegiate, high school, club, youth and Olympic coaches, as well as volleyball club directors. The AVCA provides education to volleyball coaches, recognition of elite players and coaches, promotion of volleyball competitions throughout the world, and networking opportunities for volleyball products and services providers. Further information is available at www.avca.org.