The 2023 Irvine Valley women's indoor volleyball team has been named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Awards.
IVC earned the award in the two-year college category as part of the 3C2A.
A record number of volleyball programs earned the AVCA Team Academic Award sponsored by INTENT. More than 1,400 collegiate and high school volleyball programs maintained a year-long grade-point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (or 4.1 on a 5.0 scale), to earn the award for their classroom excellence during the recently completed academic year.
A number of divisions broke records for total recipients this year, including Two-Year College Women, College Men, Collegiate Beach, High School Beach, High School Boys, and High School Girls, which had the highest number of participants at 508.
"We are pleased that the record-setting success of the 2023-24 season on the court has extended to the classroom, too, as evidenced by more programs earning the AVCA Team Academic Award than ever before," saaid AVCA CEO Dr. Jaime Gordon on the AVCA website. "This is a great example of how committed our coaches are when it comes to helping their players reach their full potential as both students and athletes."
The full award list can be seen here
Irvine Valley had a special year in the fall of 2023 on the court too. The Lasers made the 3C2A State Championship semifinals, won an Orange Empire Conference title and finished with a record of 22-5 overall.
Irvine Valley claimed its second straight OEC championship and fifth in the last six years.
IVC had both sophomore outside hitter Tessa Marocco and sophomore middle blocker Natalia Brandlin named all-state.
Four players from the squad were named to the all-OEC team after the end of the regular season.
The Lasers saw four players land on All-OEC teams with Brandlin and Marocco earning first team honors and sophmore setter Mia Bertolone and freshman libero Audrey Fowler making the second team.
Brandlin ranked first in the conference in hitting percentage at .406 and first in blocks per set at 1.20. She also finished second in the state in hitting percentage and fourth in blocks per set.
Marocco was fourth in the OEC in kills per set at 3.49 and second in total kills with 311. She also led the conference in aces per set at 0.65.
Bertolone led the conference in assists per set at 10.98 and Fowler was first in the conference in digs per set at 4.40 and in total digs at 396. Bertolone also ranked first in the state in assists per set.
Marocco and Brandlin were also named all-state for the Lasers.
Marocco is headed to the University of Hawaii to play beach volleyball, Brandlin is going to Cal State Northridge to compete in indoor and beach and outside hitter Ava Guenther has committed to play indoor at the University of La Verne.
The fall 2023 team was made up of Brandlin, Tatum Pongs, Guenther, Marocco, Alya Mersin, Nikki Korneff, Kaitlyn Vu, Olivia Gallagher, Avery Bennett, Sydney Schuler, Kenzie Dews, Felicia Bonus, Bertolone, Olivia Ortega and Fowler.
The AVCA's mission is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy, and professional development.
The membership includes more than 9,500 collegiate, professional, high school, club, and youth volleyball coaches—primarily in the United States. The AVCA represents women's volleyball, men's volleyball, and beach volleyball coaches, and works to increase exposure and recognition for the sport of volleyball.
