LEXINGTON, Ky. — Missouri Southern volleyball earned the 2026 AVCA Team Academic Award, American Volleyball Coaches Association announced Thursday. The Lions were recognized with the award after maintaining a year-long grade-point average of 3.5.

MSSU registered a 3.4 GPA over Fall 2025 and a 3.6 GPA over the Spring 2026 semester. 
 
MSSU captured the laurel for the 12th-straight academic year and 17th time in program history.
 
One thousand four hundred thirty-two collegiate and high school volleyball teams earned the 2026 AVCA Team Academic Award by maintaining a year-long grade-point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale (or 4.1 on a 5.0 scale).
 
"It comes as no surprise to see our sport have more than 1,400 teams earn the AVCA Team Academic Award again this season," said AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon. "We are grateful for the dedication of the coaches and players who make both classroom and on-court success the lifeblood of their programs."