PEORIA, Ill. -- Bradley was one of five Missouri Valley Conference schools and part of a record 70 NCAA Division I programs to earn the Game Plan/American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award announced by the AVCA.

The Braves earned the honor for the fourth consecutive year and Bradley is one of 15 NCAA Division I teams to have earned the award each of the last four years. The volleyball team had 12 of 13 members post 3.0 grade point averages during the Spring 2008 semester and were represented on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll. The team finished the 2007-08 school year with a 3.43 cumulative grade point average.

The award, initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors teams which displayed excellence in the classroom by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative GPA. A record 70 Division I teams qualified for the honor in 2007-08.

The Braves have totaled 19 first-team MVC scholar-athletes since 1998 and have had a total of 10 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V selections over the last eight years. Jenna Harrison became the eighth different player in program history to earn ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V honors following the 2007 season.

Bradley is schedule to open practice Monday, August 11. First-year Bradley head coach Sean Burdette and the Braves open the 2008 season August 29-30 at the Montana Tournament in Missoula, Mont. BU plays Gonzaga at 2:30 p.m. (CDT) on Friday August 29 and the Braves will face Montana and UC Riverside during the second day of play. Bradley opens the home schedule with the Wingate by Wyndham Invitational (Sept. 5 & 6) at Illinois Central College's Lorene Ramsey Gym. The two-day tournament will include three 20-win teams from last year in Wisconsin-Milwaukee, SIU-Edwardsville and Eastern Michigan.