FROM STAFF REPORTS

The University of Montevallo volleyball team was recently honored with the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for the 2010-2011 athletic year.

The Falcons were one of only 57 NCAA Division II teams to acquire the prestigious academic award from the AVCA. Montevallo was one of four teams in the Peach Belt Conference to claim the award with Armstrong Atlantic State, Francis Marion and USC-Aiken also claiming the academic accolade.

The award, which was initiated during the 1992-1993 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.

Montevallo, as a team in the 2010-2011 athletic year, finished with a 3.509 team GPA.

The Falcons had one of their most successful years on the court as well in 2010. Montevallo captured its first NCAA Tournament match victory in program history in the opening round of the NCAA Southeast Region Tournament with a 3-1 win over Lincoln Memorial University. The Falcons finished second overall in the Peach Belt Conference and finished the season with a 24-13 record.

The Falcons hit the court for the first time in 2011 at the Christian Brothers University tournament Sept. 2-3. Montevallo will take on former conference rivals Christian Brothers, West Georgia, Ouachita Baptist and Henderson State.