July 24, 2017

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina volleyball team earned a place on The American Volleyball Coaches Association’s (AVCA) Team Academic Award list, which was announced Monday. It is the sixth-straight season earning this distinction for the program, all coming under the direction of head coach Scott Swanson.

“I’m very proud to see the achievement of our team recognized again this season,” said Swanson. “The student-athletes in our program set a high standard for themselves, and with the incredible support system we have here at South Carolina they have flourished. Our academic accomplishments and community outreach efforts show just how much our team cares about representing South Carolina in the best way possible.”

The award honors college and high school volleyball teams that maintain at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale. For 2016-17, 822 teams were recognized by the AVCA, a new record.

South Carolina is coming of an 18-win season in 2016, the most by the Gamecocks since 2012. The team achieved great things off the court as well, highlighted by a 3.673 cumulative GPA for the team in the spring semester and earning the Athletic Department’s Community Outreach Team of the Year award.

Now just a month away from the start of the 2017 season, South Carolina returns seven student-athletes who played in 20 or more matches last season, including preseason All-SEC pick Mikayla Shields, as well as four newcomers. The season begins on Aug. 25 at the Carolina Volleyball center with a 7 p.m. match against Mercer.