Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Volleyball Earns Academic Recognition for 21st Straight Year
07/23/2026 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
CARBONDALE, Ill. — The SIU Volleyball team earned recognition for its academic success for the 21st consecutive year from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).
During the 2025-26 academic year, the Saluki Volleyball program posted a 3.648 GPA, the second-highest mark among SIU Athletics programs. In the Spring 2026 semester, the Salukis led the department with a 3.747 GPA, the program's second-highest semester GPA since 2012 and another example of its sustained academic excellence.
The Salukis' success in the classroom is supported by a comprehensive academic support system that includes advising, tutoring and structured resources designed to help student-athletes thrive. SIU's academic mission is led by Hilary Wittenborn, associate athletics director for academics; Alexis Dodd, director of academics and student services; and Cailey Clark, academic coordinator.
"We are honored to receive this award for the 2025-26 academic year," head coach Brittany Harry said. "This recognition is a testament not only to our student-athletes and their commitment to the classroom, but also to the incredible work Hilary, Alexis, and Cailey do behind the scenes to support our academic journeys. This marks the 21st consecutive year SIU has earned this award, reflecting the dedication of countless student-athletes and coaching staff members who have always valued academic excellence."
Volleyball programs across the country continued to excel in the classroom, as 1,432 collegiate and high school teams earned the 2026 AVCA Team Academic Award by maintaining a year-long GPA 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," AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon said. "We are grateful for the dedication of the coaches and players who make both classroom and on-court success the lifeblood of their programs."
