Dutch volleyball team reaches 24 consecutive years winning AVCA academic award

PELLA- The Central College volleyball team added another year to the longest streak in NCAA Division III history as it received the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award sponsored by INTENT for a record 24th consecutive year.

To receive the AVCA distinction, a team’s combined grade point average (GPA) for the preceding year must be 3.30 or higher (4.0 scale). The Dutch secured a 3.42 average for 2023-24 academic year. Central’s highest individual GPA belongs to junior setter Avery Rexroat (Macomb, Ill.) at 3.96. Elyse Johnson (grad, Kirksville, Mo.) and junior Sara Sienkiewicz (Plainfield, Ill., Neuqua Valley HS) also had a 3.90 or better GPA.

The AVCA program is in its 32nd year and Central is among 231 Division III schools cited this year.

Central had eight players earn Academic All-American Rivers Conference recognition last fall, which requires a 3.50 or better cumulative GPA.

Central has achieved the academic standard 25 times overall, also the most for any Division III team. Only 16 Division III programs have done it at least 20 times.

“Every year I am tremendously proud of our team for maintaining this achievement,” coach Jeanne Czipri said. “Being a collegiate student-athlete is not an easy task and requires an incredible amount of discipline, organization, time-management, and sacrifice. We always aim to ensure our players can do as much as they desire to help them have the academic experiences and opportunities to help them be exceptional in their lives after college. Earning this award for a record 24th consecutive year is a testament to the tradition of highly motivated and diligent student-athletes we have in our program and the standards they hold themselves and each other to.”