Volleyball's Academic Stars Shine
National Volleyball Teams Showcase Academic Prowess, With Key Programs Extending Impressive Streaks
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Key Points
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South Dakota's Coyotes earned their 14th overall AVCA Team Academic Award, posting a 3.73 GPA for the 2025-26 academic year.
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Wartburg College's volleyball program earned its 20th AVCA Team Academic Award in program history, with a 3.61 cumulative GPA for the 2025-26 academic year.
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Arizona Beach Volleyball was named the AVCA Division I Beach Team Academic Champion for the first time and also earned the Team Academic Award with a 3.861 GPA, marking 11th straight Team Academic Award and a fifth-time selection to the AVCA Honor Roll.
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Edgewood University's men's volleyball program earned the AVCA Team Academic Award for the third straight season with a 3.33 GPA, with other NACC schools also recognized: Aurora University, Concordia University Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Lutheran College.
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South Dakota's academic honors extended beyond the team award, with three players named to the Summit League Volleyball Academic All-League Team and recognized on the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.
A record 1,432 volleyball programs earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association's Team Academic Award for the 2025-26 year, the AVCA announced on July 23, 2026. To qualify, a team must hold a cumulative GPA of at least 3.30 on a 4.0 scale for the full academic year. AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon said it "comes as no surprise to see our sport have more than 1,400 teams earn the AVCA Team Academic Award again this season." Texas Tech Athletics and Winston-Salem State Athletics were among the hundreds of programs recognized nationwide.
Two programs stood out for their sustained excellence: South Dakota and Wartburg College each claimed their 12th consecutive Team Academic Award. Arizona's beach volleyball team went a step further, winning the AVCA Division I Beach Team Academic Championship for the first time in school history.
South Dakota Posts 3.73 GPA for 12th Straight Honor
The South Dakota Coyotes women's volleyball program earned its 14th overall AVCA Team Academic Award, posting a 3.73 team GPA. This marks 12 consecutive seasons of recognition — a streak that spans multiple recruiting classes and coaching contracts. Head coach Leanne Williamson, the all-time wins leader in program history, recently signed an extension through 2030.
The award did not stand alone. Four Coyote players — Avery Van Hook, Kamryn Farris, Amanda Loschen, and Morgan Bode — earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors. Van Hook, Farris, and Loschen were also named to the Summit League Volleyball Academic All-League Team, showing the team's academic strength runs deep into the roster.
Wartburg Claims 20th All-Time Award Under New Head Coach
Wartburg College's volleyball program earned its 12th straight AVCA Team Academic Award and its 20th in program history, posting a 3.61 cumulative GPA. The Knights compete in NCAA Division III, where athletic scholarships are not allowed. That makes academic awards like this one a central part of how the program defines success.
New head coach DeAnn Akins took over in 2025 after a decorated run at Coe College. Maintaining a 12-year streak with a new coaching staff signals that the academic culture at Wartburg is built into the program itself — not just tied to one leader.
Arizona Beach Team Wins Division I Academic Championship with 3.861 GPA
Arizona's beach volleyball team — known as the SandCats — posted a program-high 3.861 GPA, earning the AVCA Division I Beach Team Academic Championship for the first time. It also marked their 11th straight Team Academic Award and fifth appearance on the AVCA Honor Roll, which recognizes programs in the top 20% of their division academically. Yahoo Sports reported that both Arizona's indoor and beach programs received AVCA recognition this cycle.
Beach volleyball programs tend to post higher GPAs than indoor teams. Rosters are smaller — typically 12 to 16 players versus 20 or more for indoor squads. With fewer players, one student's low grades can drag down the whole team average. That means beach programs must keep everyone on track academically, all season long.
Lindenwood, Edgewood, and Dozens More Round Out the List
Lindenwood's beach volleyball team earned the award for the fourth straight year with a 3.54 GPA. Six players on the roster held perfect 4.0 GPAs. Edgewood University's men's volleyball program claimed its third straight award with a 3.33 GPA — joining NACC conference peers Aurora University, Concordia University Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Lutheran College. Marshall University Athletics also announced its volleyball program earned the award alongside an AVCA Academic Honor Roll distinction for finishing in the top 20% of NCAA Division I programs.
Gordon said coaches and players deserve credit for making "both classroom and on-court success the lifeblood of their programs." With the NCAA Transfer Portal reshaping rosters every season, coaches say consecutive academic streaks have become a key recruiting tool. They signal to incoming players — and their parents — that degree completion matters as much as wins.
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