Wittenberg University Volleyball Earns Eighth Team Academic Award

Tiger players showed great focus in the classroom in 2007-08 as well.

Springfield, Ohio — Wittenberg University's volleyball team was one of 353 high school and college programs to earn a 2007-08 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award. The award, initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, annually honors men's and women's college and high school teams that display excellence in the classroom 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 during the school year.

"Balance in life is everything. I'm always very proud of how well this team of young ladies can find the perfect balance between academics and athletics," said Wittenberg Head Coach Paco Labrador, who enters his sixth year at the helm with a sparkling 170-24 overall record. "Receiving the AVCA Team Academic Award is one of our team goals and achieving that goal is a great way to kick off the 2008 season."

Recipients of the award included 39 NCAA Division II programs, 62 NCAA Division III programs, 21 NAIA programs, 70 NCAA Division I women's programs, three NCAA Division I men's programs, 15 women's programs at two-year colleges and 141 high school programs (both boys and girls). Wittenberg, one of six NCAA Division III programs in Ohio to earn the award, has been recognized by the AVCA eight times.

The Tigers, one of three members of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) to make the list in 2007-08, were just as extraordinary on the court a year ago. The Tigers spent most of the season ranked No. 1 in the nation, winning their 10th NCAC regular season title and 10th NCAC Tournament titles in the last 11 years while dropping just one game in 19 matches along the way.

The Tigers earned their 12th NCAA Division III Tournament berth in the last 13 years and then blew through the Great Lakes Region Tournament to advance to the national quarterfinals for the fifth time in the last six years. The season came to an end in the national semifinals for a third consecutive season, as Wittenberg dropped a 3-1 decision to eventual national champion Washington University. Wittenberg finished 38-1 overall in 2007 to easily surpass the school and NCAC records for wins in a season.

The names may change, but the Tigers maintain many lofty goals in 2008. The returning core of three seniors - All-American right side hitter Jackie Williams, class of 2009 from Rocky River, Ohio, libero Laura Fender, class of 2009 from Toledo, Ohio, and middle hitter Jessica Kimble, class of 2009 from Dennison, Ohio - have known nothing but astounding success in their collegiate careers after three straight trips to the NCAA Division III Tournament semifinals. Their quest for more in 2008 starts with a home date against NAIA scholarship program Cedarville University at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 30.

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