CONCORDIA - The Cloud County Community College baseball and volleyball teams are the winners of the 2020-2021 Burnell Ukens Academic Teams of the Year Awards, given to the men's and women's T-Bird athletic teams that finish the year with the highest overall team GPA.
Overall, the volleyball team finished the year with the best overall GPA among the 12 sports at Cloud County, finishing with a 3.64 GPA to edge the softball team who finished with the second-highest GPA in the athletic department at 3.59. The baseball team took home the honor of top men's team GPA with a 3.38 team GPA followed by the men's outdoor track and field team who came in second on the men's side with a 2.94 team GPA.
The award for the volleyball team is their seventh overall and sixth in a seven-year span dating back to the 2014-15 academic year while the baseball team earns their fifth consecutive award on the men's side and fifth overall.
In total, five of Cloud County's 12 athletic teams posted a GPA of 3.0 or higher, including volleyball, softball, baseball, women's basketball, and women's cross country.
The award, which has been in place since 2008-20009 is named after longtime Cloud County Community College employee and ambassador Burnell Ukens. From 1965-1995, Ukens served as a valued member of the faculty at CCCC teaching mathematics. Burnell also led the college as the first Athletic Director for eight years and started the tennis program in 1971 while serving as head coach. Burnell also assisted track and field and baseball at various times throughout his career and served as intramural director. A dedicated family man, coach, and visionary in the realm of athletics, the Burnell Ukens Academic Teams of the Year award is to honor those teams who show academic excellence in the classroom in honor of an exceptional educator.
Burnell Ukens Academic Teams of the Year winners by year
2008-2009: Men's - Cross Country, Women's - Indoor Track & Field
2009-2010: Men's - Basketball, Women's - Cross Country
2010-2011: Men's - Basketball, Women's - Volleyball
2011-2012: Men's - Soccer, Women's - Softball
2012-2013: Men's - Soccer, Women's - Softball
2013-2014: Men's - Outdoor Track & Field, Women's - Basketball
2014-2015: Men's - Basketball, Women's - Volleyball