LEXINGTON, Ky.—For the second straight year the SUNY Potsdam volleyball team has earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award.

The Bears were one of 90 Division III squads to be recognized after posting a cumulative 3.38 grade point average during the 2011-12 school year.

“Our academic advisor Dr. (Richard) Williams has been great with our program.,” said SUNY Potsdam Head Volleyball Coach Steve Pike. “He really helps our players on an individual basis to achieve their academic goals. To see the whole team achieve that award two year's in a row and to see Dr. Williams' and the athletes' work pay off has been an honor. I really appreciate all the time that he volunteers to work with them and their dedication to be student-athletes at the Division III level. So we're very happy for them.”

Potsdam joins State University of New York Athletic Conference programs New Paltz and Fredonia as back-to-back recipients of the award.

The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, 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.

A record 533 teams earned the award in 2011-12, breaking last year's mark of 481.

The Bears volleyball team will host its four-day volleyball day camp in Jerry Welsh Gymnasium from Aug. 13-16, for a total cost of $99. The camp will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. There is still time to register.

To register for the camp, call 315-267-2167 or visit www.potsdam.edu/community/clear.