HONOLULU – Hawai'i Pacific University's Beach Volleyball program continues to set the standard both on the sand and in the classroom, earning the 2025 AVCA Team Academic Award, the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced this week.

The Sharks were among a record-breaking 1,450 volleyball teams across collegiate and high school levels to be recognized for academic excellence. To qualify, teams were required to maintain a year-long GPA of 3.3 or higher on a 4.0 scale (or 4.1 on a 5.0 scale).

"It is very exciting to see that the record-setting, on-court successes during the 2024–25 season have extended to the classroom," said AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon. "The fact that more programs earned the Team Academic Award than ever before is evidence of how committed our coaches are when it comes to helping their players reach their goals as both students and athletes."

HPU's honor reflects a growing national trend of excellence in volleyball, as teams at every level — from high school to NCAA Division I — continue to prove that competitive success and academic achievement go hand in hand. Several teams earning the award this year also captured national championships, including Texas Christian University (NCAA Women's Beach) and University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (AVCA Small College Beach DIII).

This season marks a milestone year for the AVCA Team Academic Award, with new records set in both the High School Girls (527 recipients) and High School Boys (66 recipients) categories. The award also celebrates programs with long-standing commitments to academic achievement, including Georgia State, which leads the College Beach category with 12 consecutive years of recognition.

In addition to the Team Academic Award, the AVCA Honor Roll distinction highlights programs in the top 20% of GPAs within each division, while this year also introduces Team Academic Champions, recognizing the top-performing academic program in each collegiate division.

HPU Beach Volleyball's recognition by the AVCA further highlights the Sharks' holistic commitment to student-athlete success — a balance of grit, discipline, and pride that defines the Sharks both on and off the sand.