TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Beach Volleyball was named the AVCA Division I Beach Team Academic Champion and earned the AVCA Team Academic Award, announced by the association on Thursday. This marks the first time Arizona has won the Team Academic Champion Award and is the 11th straight year that the program has received the Team Academic Award.
 
The AVCA names the team with the highest GPA in their division as the team Academic Champion and awards the Team Academic Award to teams that maintain a year-long GPA of at least 3.30 on a 4.00 scale. In addition to earning the Team Academic Champion Award and  Team Academic Award, the beach volleyball program was named to the AVCA Team Academic Honor Roll for the fifth time in program history.
 
The SandCats maintained a 3.861 GPA during the 2025-26 academic year to earn the distinction.
 
Overall, 1,432 college and high school volleyball teams were awarded the AVCA Team Academic Award this year.