(LEXINGTON, Ky.) – The Central Missouri Jennies volleyball program was awarded the AVCA Team Academic Award, for their work in the classroom during the 2011-12 school year. The Jennies are one of only 69 programs in Division II to win the award, making up less than 13% of Division II volleyball programs in the country.

Central Missouri has been honored by the AVCA for nine consecutive seasons now, earning the honor by maintaining a 3.3 cumulative team GPA throughout the school year.

The Jennies placed three on the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team last season, with seniors Allie Huffman and Taylor Krejci along with sophomore Julia Bates earning spots on the list. Huffman was also named a CoSIDA Academic All-American Third Team member a month later.

UCM opens the 2012 regular season in Pensacola, Fla., where the Jens will compete in the Argo Fall Classic, hosted by West Florida. The Jennies home opener is set for Tuesday, September 11, when they take on Missouri S&T.