Bradford, Pa. -- For the fourth time in six years, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Women's Volleyball team received the 2019/20 USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award.

The award is distributed by the American Volleyball Coaches of America and the United States Marine Corps since the 1992-93 academic year. It honors teams who have matched their dedication to the sport of volleyball with excellence in the classroom. To qualify for the award teams must maintain a year-long grade point average above a 3.30 on a 4.0 scale. This year the Panthers were one of 1,315 programs to earn the award.

In the 2019-20 academic year, the Panther Volleyball team contained sixteen players that recorded a GPA higher than the 3.30 which qualifies the team for the award. Additionally, twelve players had a GPA of over 3.5 including four players who earned a 3.9 GPA and two more that recorded a 4.0.

When asked about the accomplishment, head coach Tom Roof said, " I am so proud of what this team accomplishes on and off the court. They take great pride in excelling academically and that kind of passion, drive, and determination is also what fuels them as athletes. This team, these players, work hard to do well, and they’ve made us the championship program we’ve strived to become, both in the classroom and on the floor."

Historically, the program has received this honor five times, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2020.

The full press release from AVCA can be found here.