BELLINGHAM, Wash. – For the 10th time in program history and third consecutive year the Western Washington University volleyball team has earned the prestigious AVCA Team Academic Award.
 
The Vikings qualified for the award by maintaining a year-long cumulative grade point average of at least 3.30, registering a team GPA of 3.46 during the 2025-26 academic year.
 
WWU has qualified for the high-achieving academic award each of the last three seasons after earning the honor four consecutive years from 2018-21. The Vikings also won three straight awards from the America Volleyball Coaches Association from 2010-12.
 
"I'm very proud of our efforts in the classroom this year. Our team not only did well with their grades, but they did it while taking very challenging classes," said WWU head coach Diane Flick-Williams. "Our four seniors (Adele - Business Marketing/ Janelle & Devyn - Kinesiology/ Abby - Accounting) led the way by earning their respective degrees, and everyone from oldest to youngest did an outstanding job. Academics is the priority in our program, and our team embodies what it means to put student first in student-athletes."
 
The Vikings had seven student-athletes earn GNAC All-Academic honors in 2025 and three earn a spot on the Academic All-District Team.
 
The 2026 Vikings report to campus on August 9 to begin practices and officially open the season August 27-29 with three matches at the CWU Invitational in Ellensburg facing Point Loma, Chaminade and San Francisco State. WWU is coming off a 19-7 season in 2025 advancing to play in the NCAA II West Regional Championship.
 
The complete season schedule is available at WWUVikings.com with season tickets available at WWUVikings.com/Tickets.