UW-Milwaukee Volleyball Honored By American Volleyball Coaches' Association

Aug. 9, 2005

Milwaukee, Wis. - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's volleyball team is one of 45 Division I squads honored by the American Volleyball Coaches' Association for academic success, the AVCA has announced.

The Panthers are winners of the Game Plan/AVCA Team Academic Award for the2004-2005 season, given to teams that maintain at least at 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.

"I am extremely proud of the players on my team who have lived up to the term student-athlete," UWM head coach Kathy Litzau said. "All of our players have a lot of demands put on them, both athletically and academically, and receiving this award shows the team is meeting and exceeding everything being asked of them."

"The Game Plan/AVCA Team Academic Award embodies the true meaning of the student-athlete concept, and the AVCA is honored to recognize these schools for excellence in the classroom," AVCA Executive Director Katherine McConnell said. "We congratulate the student-athletes, as well as the coaches and school administrations, for maintaining balance between academics and athletics."

The Panthers' academic success falls in line with the athletic success the team has enjoyed. UWM has won the last two Horizon League regular season titles and has appeared in five of the last seven NCAA Tournament. This season, the Panthers return six of seven starters and 12 of 13 letterwinners. UWM opens practice Wednesday and begins the regular season Aug. 26 vs. Drake.