LEXINGTON, Ky. – For the first time in program history, the UNC Pembroke volleyball team has earned the Team Academic Award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), the organization recently announced. A total of 973 teams across the nation earned the award for the 2017-18 season, breaking the previous year's total of 835 to set an all-time high.

The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, 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 Braves, who compiled a 3.39 team GPA in 2017-18, are one of 128 Division II women's volleyball teams to earn the Team Academic Award.

The AVCA Team Academic Award is the single largest award offered by quantity of schools, players and coaches honored. Since the 2000-2001 season, the number of recipients has increased every single year but two, while amassing a 619-team increase over the span of the last decade. Since the award's inception in 1993, the amount of award winners has increased from 62 to its current number of 973.

UNCP lifts the lid on the 2018 campaign at the Coker/Francis Marion Invitational Aug. 24-25 in Florence and Hartsville, South Carolina. The Black & Gold will battle Catawba and Converse Friday at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. before taking on Anderson and Coker on Saturday at 3 and 7 p.m. The Braves open the home portion of the schedule Aug. 31-Sep. 1 as they host the UNCP Invitational at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.