LEXINGTON, Ky. - For the second consecutive year, the Northwest volleyball program has picked up a Team Academic Award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), the organization announced on Monday.

Along with its presenting sponsor, The United State Marine Corps, the AVCA released its Team Academic Awards for the 2021-22 season and Northwest was one of only nine NJCAA Division II programs to receive the honor. For the second year in a row, the Lady Rangers were also the only representative from Region 23 to earn the award.

Created during the 1992-93 academic year, the award honors volleyball programs that maintain a year-long grade-point average between 3.30 and 4.00.

"Academic achievement does not happen by accident," said AVCA Executive Director Kathy DeBoer. "I am so proud of the hundreds of coaching staffs that make excellence in the classroom a priority."

For the year, Northwest posted a 3.72 team GPA and was selected as the MACCC Volleyball Academic Team of the Year. Additionally, the Lady Rangers posted the eighth-highest volleyball GPA among NJCAA member schools and saw 13 of its student-athletes earn NJCAA All-Academic accolades.

Northwest is scheduled to open the 2022 campaign in Senatobia on Saturday, August 20, hosting Chattanooga State and Champion Christian College. The matches are scheduled for 1 P.M. and 5 P.M. with live broadcast coverage available on Ranger TV.