LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 19, 2021) – Oklahoma Christian's volleyball team, which just finished its first season of competition since 1983, earned the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association, it was announced Monday.

The award, sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale. OC is one of 1,275 teams from across the nation – including 161 among NCAA Division II women's squads – to earn the honor, which first was given after the 1992-93 academic year.

During the 2020-21 academic year, OC's volleyball team posted a cumulative GPA of 3.589, the second-highest by any team in the university's athletic department. Six Eagles recorded a perfect 4.0 GPA for the academic year.

Members of the volleyball team for 2020-21 included Karlee Alonzo, Alexandra Aponte Torres, Emily Armstrong, Brylie Berryman, KynLey Burton, Kyla Chavez, Morgan Demuth, Eden Dowell, Talby Duerksen, Allyssa Hamlin, Caitlynne Hudgens, Oceana Lew, Jacki Lynn, Maddie Maile, Ravyn Michel, Cloie Mitchell, Spencer Plato, Hannah Rouse, Lily Saenz, Kelsie Schiefelbein, Bailee Sharp, Jessica Souza, Anna Strother and Shaina Westfall. The Eagles were coached by Barry Wheeler.