LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Fort Hays State volleyball team earned the 2026 AVCA Team Academic Award, announced Thursday (July 23) by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. This is the 12th consecutive year the Tigers have received the award.

The 2025-26 volleyball team turned in a team GPA of 3.69 with 15 student-athletes listed on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. Both Kaitlyn Cure and Avery Eshleman received the MIAA Academic Excellence Award for maintaining a 4.00 GPA, while Kirsten Evans took home the MIAA Scholar-Athlete Award for holding a GPA of 3.50 or better and garnering All-MIAA status on the court. Evans also joined Carsyn Cormaney and Peyton Bergschneider as CSC Academic All-District selections.

Other Tigers named to last season's MIAA Academic Honor Roll included Mylie Brown, Lauren Clawson, Hope Duncan, Annie Eaton, Kara Feist, Abrey Galt, Delaney Gish, Grace Schmedding, Caiya Stucky Reyes and Haylee Wolf.

Teams must maintain a year-long grade-point average of at least 3.30 to earn the award. A total of 1,432 institutions from all college levels and high school received the award this year, including 156 NCAA Division II women's programs.