LEXINGTON, Kent. – The University of Providence volleyball team had one of their most successful seasons in program history this past season. That success was also seen in the classroom, as the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced that the Argo volleyball team earned a team academic award for the 2020-21 season.

The Team Academic Award honors volleyball teams that maintain a year-long grade point average of 3.3 or above. The Argos were well-above that threshold, finishing with a team GPA of 3.62. The Argos are one of 71 teams across the NAIA to have received this recognition.

"I'm not surprised and definitely pleased with the overall work ethic of this group," head coach Arunas Duda said. "It's a reflection of the kind of kids that we're trying to target in the recruiting process. We want kids that are going to be as committed to the classroom as they are on the court."

Duda has long been targeting student-athletes who excel in the classroom, as he feels it helps the overall growth of the program. The Argos have received the recognition seven times since the award began in 1992-93. They have won it in 2002, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2017 before winning it for a seventh time this season.

"We've found over the years that the kids that work hard, it's not just one-dimensional," Duda said. "That's the type of person that they are. When you get a kid that works hard in the classroom, it definitely translates to a lot of different points to their lives. We know they're going to be working hard on the court and be a kid of high character that we're looking for."