LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Saint Mary's volleyball program picked up its 17th American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award for its work on and off the court. The Cardinals, however, worked extra hard off the court, earning the program's first-ever AVCA Team Honor Roll distinction with one of the highest overall team GPA's in the country at 3.76.

Amber Zitzow's squad earned their fourth consecutive Team Academic Award in her five seasons of coaching. 

To be a part of the Honor Roll, teams must be in the top 20 percent of GPAs in their specific division. Just 46 NCAA Division III programs earned the Honor Roll honor.

Established in the 1992-93 academic year, the AVCA's Team Academic 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 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale, or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale. 

The Cardinals earned the highest GPA among the women's programs at the University in the fall, with an overall GPA of 3.66.