The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) has named 78 NCAA volleyball programs as recipients of the 2002-03 AVCA Team Academic Award.

The award, initiated in 1992, honors teams that displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining at least a 3.300 cumulative team grade-point average (4.000 scale) during the school year. Nominating head coaches must be AVCA members.

"The AVCA Team Academic Award captures the true essence of the student-athlete, and the AVCA is honored to recognize these schools for excellence in the classroom," said AVCA Executive Director Katherine McConnell.

Following are the NCAA programs earning the 2002-03 AVCA Team Academic Award:

Division I

Alabama, American, Birmingham-Southern, Bowling Green, Charleston (South Carolina), Denver, Duke, Eastern Washington, Gardner-Webb, Indiana, Indiana State, Iona, Kansas State, Lamar, Long Island, Loyola (Illinois), UMKC, Montana State, Morehead State, Nebraska, Northern Iowa, Notre Dame, Rice, Robert Morris, Saint Louis, Southeast Missouri State, Southern Illinois, Southwest Missouri State, Stephen F. Austin, Tennessee-Martin, Toledo, Virginia Tech, Western Carolina, Winthrop, Wisconsin-Green Bay.

Division II

Augustana (South Dakota), Bentley, Catawba, Chadron State, Drury, Emporia State, Findlay, Harding, Hillsdale, Indiana (Pennsylvania), Lewis, Minnesota Duluth, Nebraska-Omaha, Northern Kentucky, Northern State, Pittsburg State, Wayne State (Nebraska), Western New Mexico.

Division III

Buena Vista, Carleton, Central (Iowa), Clark, Colorado College, Defiance, Dubuque, Frostburg State, Grove City, Huntingdon, Lakeland, Macalester, Medaille, Moravian, Nebraska Wesleyan, Ohio Northern, Otterbein, Rochester Institute of Technology, St. Thomas (Minnesota), Skidmore, Stevens Institute of Technology, Wartburg, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Wisconsin-La Crosse, Wisconsin-Stout.