Griz earn team academic awards

The Montana women’s tennis and volleyball teams both earned academic recognition from their respective coaching organizations this week.

Coach Steve Ascher’s squad was named an Intercollegiate Tennis Association All-Academic Team. Coach Jerry Wagner’s program claimed the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award.

In addition to the Grizzlies’ team award, Heather Davidson, Maddy Murray and Mackenzie Rozell were named ITA Scholar-Athletes for having a 3.5 GPA or better for the 2012-13 academic year.

This year marked the third time in Ascher’s five seasons at Montana that his team has been recognized by the ITA. The Grizzlies also received the team academic award in 2009 and 2011.

Montana was one of four Big Sky Conference teams to receive the award, which is given to teams with at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA following the spring semester. The Grizzlies have a cumulative team GPA of 3.36.

Wagner’s team was also recognized for the third time. The Grizzlies were previously named to the AVCA’s list in 2009 and 2011.

Montana, which was one of five Big Sky teams honored and one of 130 Division I programs recognized, had a team GPA for the 2012 fall and 2013 spring semesters of 3.48. The AVCA requires a minimum GPA of 3.3 for the academic year to be eligible for the award.

Paige Branstiter and Brooke Bray both had perfect 4.0 GPAs in 2012-13. Megan Murphey came in at 3.91 while taking a team-high 39 credits over the two semesters and winter session.

Seven of the volleyball team’s 13 players had an academic-year GPA of 3.8 or better.

Montana Sports Information  --  GoGriz.com