KANSAS CITY, MO. - The Iowa Wesleyan College volleyball team has been named the 2009-10 NAIA Scholar-Team of the Year, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced on Tuesday.

The Tigers finished in the top spot in the NAIA with a 3.82 grade point average during the 2009-10 academic year. IWC finished atop a list of 857 teams who received the NAIA Scholar Team award this past year, a list composed of the 290 NAIA member schools.

Wesleyan was coached during the 2009 volleyball season by Erika Candler, who resigned after the season after giving birth to her and husband Jeffery's first child. Jill Blake was hired as the Tigers' new coach and took over the position in February 2010.

Members of the 2009-10 Tiger volleyball team included:

Joining Iowa Wesleyan to round out the top five are Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) University volleyball (3.81 GPA), Lambuth (Tenn.) University women's soccer (3.78 GPA), Roberts Wesleyan (N.Y.) College women's tennis (3.77 GPA) and tied for fifth were Jamestown (N.D.) College women's cross country and Bethel (Kan.) College women's tennis with a 3.76 GPA.

For a team to be considered for the NAIA Scholar Team award, it must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) as defined by the institution. The team grade point average must include all varsity student-athletes certified as eligible. A record total of 857 teams received the award, an increase over last year's total of 837, and over 14% of the schools receiving the award had a 3.5 or higher grade point average.