Aug. 4, 2014

COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina volleyball team has earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award for the 2013-14 season, the AVCA announced Monday.

The Gamecocks posted a cumulative team GPA of 3.39 to earn the honor for a third straight year. A record 676 teams from the high school and collegiate ranks earned the award, including a record 134 Division I programs.

“It is an honor for our program and players to be recognized for their hard work and dedication to academic success,” South Carolina head coach Scott Swanson said. “We believe that the academic support at the University of South Carolina is the best in the SEC if not the whole country. I am very proud of our players for truly being top-notch STUDENT-Athletes!”

The award 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 GPA on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale.

“Too often athletic participation is associated with academic underachievement and this stereotype is simply false when it comes to volleyball,” said AVCA Executive Director Kathy DeBoer. “Couple the smarts represented by these teams with the competitive experience and team-focused training gained on the court and we have a potent formula for future leadership! What a significant contribution that is by their coaches and schools.”

South Carolina will host the Gamecock Invitational on Aug. 29-30 at the Volleyball Competition Facility to open its 2014 campaign. Fans can get their first glimpse of the team at the Garnet and Black match on Aug. 23 at 3 p.m. Admission to the scrimmage is free.

Season tickets for South Carolina’s 15 home dates are now on sale. Adult tickets are $25, and youth tickets (17 and under) are $10. For more information, contact the South Carolina ticket office at 800-4SC-FANS or visit the ticket office home page HERE.