The United States Marine Corps and the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced last week that 1,333 collegiate and high school volleyball teams have earned the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award for the past season.
Initiated in 1993, the award recognizes volleyball teams whose players maintain a year-long grade-point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale or 4.1 on a 5.0 scale.
For the ninth straight year, Houston High School volleyball team made the list. Only 32 Missouri high schools were named.
The girls who contributed to Houston’s success included Makenzi Arthur, Mackenzie Bryan, Olivia Crites, Anna Gale, Maddie Holder, Jazmine Johnson, Morgan McKinney, Kelsey Pritchett, Madi Reed, Angie Smith, Cadence Wade and Kayla Wagner.
Houston was the only Texas County school on the list, and one of two from the South Central Association conference (along with Liberty).
The Lady Tigers were led last season by head coach Loran Richardson, who has since resigned from the position.