LEXINGTON, Ky. - Thursday morning, the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced the recipients of its 2026 AVCA Team Academic Awards. In order to achieve this status, a team must maintain a year-long grade-point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale. The University of Northwestern Volleyball team was one of 1,432 across all levels of collegiate and high school volleyball to earn the distinction.

The full AVCA press release can be accessed here.

2026 marks the 18th-consecutive year Northwestern has achieved the award, but this year had an added bonus. Finishing in the top 20% of team GPAs in NCAA Division III, UNW also earned the distinction of AVCA Team Academic Honor Roll. This is the sixth overall time the Eagles have received honor roll recognition, and the fifth-consecutive year.