LEXINGTON, Ky. – Hawai'i Pacific University was honored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association for the Sharks academic achievement during the 2018-19 scholastic year with the AVCA Team Academic Award.
 
The award honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale. A record total of 1,128 collegiate women's, men's and high school teams made the grade in 2018-19.
 
Head Coach Jenic Tumaneng's Sharks were one of 142 NCAA Division II programs that earned the AVCA Team Academic Award by posting a 3.45 team cumulative GPA last season.
 
Additionally, HPU was one of 12 Division II schools that met AVCA fundraising goals for Dig Pink, supporting the stage IV breast cancer community through the Side Out Foundation.
 
The Sharks open the 2019 volleyball season on Sept. 6 at their new home, The Shark Tank, while co-hosting the Hawai'i Challenge. HPU meets West Virginia State at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 6 at the former Saint Francis School gym, and will play again later that evening against Chico State at 7 p.m.  
2018-2019 AVCA TEAM ACADEMIC AWARD RECIPIENTS
NCAA DIVISION II WOMEN
Adelphi University
Anderson University
Angelo State University
Arkansas Tech University
Ashland University
Augustana University
Azusa Pacific University
Barry University
Barton College
Bellarmine University
Belmont Abbey College
Bemidji State
Bentley University
Black Hills State University
California State University Monterey Bay
California University of Pennslyvania
Cedarville University
Central Washington University
Chaminade University
Chestnut Hill College
Chico State
Clarion University
College of Saint Rose
Colorado Christian University
Colorado Mesa University
Concordia University - St. Paul
Concordia University Portland
Converse College
Daemen College
Dallas Baptist University
Dixie State University
East Stroudsburg University
Eastern New Mexico University
Emmanuel College
Emporia State University
Fairmont State University
Ferris State University
Florida Institute of Technology
Florida Southern College
Fort Hays State University
Franklin Pierce University
Gannon University
Georgia College
Georgian Court University
Goldey-Beacom College
Grand Valley State University
Harding University
Hawai'i Pacific University
Holy Family University
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
King University
Lee University
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Lewis University
Limestone College
Lincoln Memorial University
Lindenwood University
Lubbock Christian University
McKendree University
Mercyhurst University
Merrimack College
Michigan Tech University
Millersville University
Mississippi College
Missouri S&T
Missouri Southern State University
Missouri Western State University
Molloy College
Metropolitan State Denver
Minnesota State Moorhead
New York Institute of Technology
North Greenville University
Northern Michigan University
Northern State University
Northwest Missouri State University
Northwest Nazarene University Volleyball
Nova Southeastern University
Notre Dame College
Ohio Dominican University
Ouachita Baptist University
Pace University
Palm Beach Atlantic University
Pittsburg State
Point Loma
Queens University of Charlotte
Regis University
Rockhurst University
Rollins College
Saginaw Valley State University
Saint Martin's University
San Francisco State University
Seattle Pacific University
Seton Hill University
Slippery Rock University
South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
Southern Connecticut State University
Southern New Hampshire University
Southwest Baptist University
Southwest Minnesota State University
Spring Hill College
St. Cloud State University
St. Edward's University
St. Mary's University (Texas)
Stonehill College
Texas A&M International University
Texas A&M University-Commerce
Texas Woman's University
The University of Findlay
The University of West Florida
Tiffin University
Truman State University
University of Colorado-Colorado Springs
University of Alabama-Huntsville
University of Alaska
University of Central Missouri
University of Central Oklahoma
University of Charleston
University of Illinois Springfield
University of Mary
University of Minnesota Crookston
University of Minnesota Duluth
University of Minnesota, Mankato
University of Missouri- St Louis
University of Montevallo
University of New Haven
University of Sioux Falls
University of South Carolina Aiken
University of West Georgia
Upper Iowa University
Urbana University
Washburn University
Wayne State College (Neb.)
Wayne State University (Mich.)
West Chester University
West Liberty University
Western Colorado University
Western Oregon University
Western Washington University
Wheeling Jesuit University
William Jewell College
Wilmington University
Wingate University
Winona State University