LEXINGTON, KY – For the third time in its seven-year history, the Northwest Mississippi Community College volleyball team has been named a recipient of the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award. Along with winning the academic award, the Rangers were named to the AVCA Honor Roll, reserved for teams representing the top 20 percent of GPAs nationally by division.
The national honor is given to any team that maintains a 3.3 GPA or better throughout the school year. The Rangers finished the school year with a 3.77 GPA, which was the best in the MACCC.
"We are so proud of the student-athletes and their hard work and dedication to representing Northwest well," Head Coach Allison Burchyett said. "The support from Coach (Charlesy) Kennedy, the administration, staff, and faculty make it possible for these ladies to thrive."
"I am proud of the positive academic momentum that the volleyball team has been achieving," Northwest Athletic Director Jake Gordon said. "They are a great group of young women that deserve to be recognized for their efforts on the court and in the classroom."
The Rangers last appeared on the list in 2022 when they were also a part of the Honor Roll. They also earned a Team Academic Award in 2021.
"To be in the top 20 percent in the country is special. This happens with establishing the standard early, holding the team accountable, and providing the athletes with everything they need to be successful. Special thanks to this group and everyone mentioned above for making this happen," Burchyett said.
Northwest had 11 individual athletes make the NJCAA All-Academic team with GPAs of 3.6 or higher. Fifteen team members were part of the Academic All-MACCC team with GPAs of 3.3 or higher.
The Rangers were one of three schools from the MACCC to earn an AVCA Academic Award, and only 19 NJCAA Division II junior colleges were on the list. There was a total of 75 two-year programs to make the list, with teams from all three levels of NJCAA competition, the NWAC, and the CCCAA included.
