Two Notre Dame College athletic teams have been honored for their academic achievements.
The Falcons volleyball program has been recognized with the Team Academic Award, presented by the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), while the Notre Dame swimming program has been named a Scholar All-America Team by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA).
The USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award is given to teams that maintain a year-long grade-point average of 3.30 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
“It’s an honor to earn the AVCA Team Academic Award for the second year in a row, and even more exciting to be named to the AVCA Team Honor Roll,” volleyball head coach Travis Hinkle said. “Almost every college student-athlete endured challenges beginning in March, and I’m so proud of how these women overcame the challenge and had a great year in the classroom.”
Volleyball Students, Service
In addition to the honor for their outstanding work as a team in the classroom during the 2019-20 season, the Notre Dame volleyball squad also made the AVCA Team Academic Honor Roll and were recognized for reaching the Dig Pink® fundraising goal.
According to AVCA.org, Dig Pink® is a nationwide movement to provide meaningful and impactful experiences for athletes while inspiring and empowering them to come together in support of the stage IV breast cancer community. Each year, hundreds of teams across the country (and some overseas) participate in the Dig Pink® Rally.
The Falcons were one of 15 NCAA Division II programs to meet the Dig Pink® goal.
Individual academic awards for the College volleyball team include 19 players named to either the All-Mountain East Conference (MEC) Academic Team or the Commissioner’s Honor Roll. Academic All-American and Academic All-Region nods went to both Mary Kate McHugh and Alexandra Kaeberlein. McHugh was also named a finalist for the MEC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.
Last season, the Falcons volleyball program broke team records in total wins (23), home wins (10) and MEC wins (9), along with setting program records for a season in assists per set (12.29) and aces per set (1.8).
Swimming Scholar-Athletes
The Notre Dame women’s swimming and diving program is no stranger to earning the Scholar All-America Team award from the CSCAA. They previously earned the honor in the spring of 2016.
The CSCAA Scholar All-America Teams are based on GPAs from the 2020 spring semester and include programs from NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and Junior Colleges.
“Being a student-athlete means you put the work of being a student first,” said head coach Stephanie Gyurke. “Both the women and men’s teams stepped it up and had some amazing accomplishments in the classroom. I am so proud of everything both teams have accomplished. Winning the [men’s] conference championship was great, but to be academically recognized means even more to me as a coach. These athletes put their heart and soul into everything, and it is so gratifying to know it paid off.”
As well as performing in the classroom, the Falcons swimming team also had an impressive season in the pool and reached an MEC-era program record eight regular season wins and four conference victories. In the postseason, the College finished fourth among MEC teams at the Great Midwest Athletic Conference and MEC championships.
At the tournament, the women’s team earned seven individual All-MEC awards and four relay awards.
Founded in 1922, the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America, is the nation’s first organization of college coaches. The mission of the CSCAA is to advance the sport of swimming and diving with coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy, and development.
August 2020
About Notre Dame College
For almost a century, Notre Dame College has educated a diverse population in the liberal arts for personal, professional and global responsibility. Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1922, the College has grown strategically to keep pace with the rapidly changing needs of students and the dramatic changes in higher education. But it has never lost sight of its emphasis on teaching students not only how to make a good living but also how to live a good life.
Today, the College offers bachelor’s degrees in 30 disciplines plus a variety of master’s degrees, certification programs and continuing and professional development programs for adult learners on campus and online. Notre Dame College offers NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletic programs for men and women and is located in a picturesque residential neighborhood just 25 minutes from the heart of Cleveland. Hallmarks of the Notre Dame experience include stimulating academics, personalized attention of dedicated faculty and staff, and small class sizes.
Notre Dame College is located at 4545 College Road in South Euclid. For further information contact Brian Johnston, chief communications officer, at 216.373.5252 or pr@ndc.edu.