WALESKA, Ga. -- Three Reinhardt University athletic teams recently received national recognition as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics announced its NAIA scholar teams for 2010-11. Reinhardt's women's soccer, volleyball and softball teams earned the distinction. To be honored as a scholar team, a squad must have at least a 3.0 combined grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.

"One of the goals of our athletic department is academic success," Reinhardt athletic director Bill Popp said. "These three teams really reflect the effort that our entire department gives to academic excellence. Our softball, volleyball and women's soccer teams have gone over and above and again raised the academic bar for our teams here at Reinhardt. All three teams deserve a well earned congratulations."

Reinhardt's women's soccer squad, with head coach Andy Kaplan at the helm, was honored as an NAIA scholar team for the fifth straight year after putting together a 3.57 GPA, ranking third nationally of the 74 programs that earned the recognition. In 2010-11, there were 217 NAIA schools that offered women's soccer as an intercollegiate sport.

In volleyball, under head coach Jenny Hayes, the Lady Eagles received NAIA scholar-team status for the fourth consecutive year. Reinhardt posted a 3.04 GPA, finishing 90th in the nation among 95 schools that qualified for the list. A total of 241 NAIA institutions sponsored women's volleyball last season.

Head coach Glen Crawford's softball team registered a 3.30 GPA, placing the Lady Eagles 30th in the country of the 75 clubs that received the honor. Last year, 208 NAIA schools played softball.

Just half of the institutions within the eight-member Appalachian Athletic Conference had scholar teams. Bryan College led the way with six, followed by Reinhardt, Milligan College (two) and Virginia Intermont College (one).