Las Vegas, New Mexico - New Mexico Highlands University Volleyball has been recognized for its success in the classroom, earning the 2026 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award.
The AVCA announced that 1,432 collegiate and high school volleyball programs earned the distinction this year. The award recognizes teams that maintain a year-long grade-point average of at least 3.30 on a 4.0 scale (or 4.10 on a 5.0 scale).
The Cowgirls posted a 3.460 team GPA during the 2025-26 academic year, earning the program's first AVCA Team Academic Award since 2015.
"I am super proud of this group, we set this goal in August as a team and they delivered. I am just as proud of this as I am of what we accomplished on the court last year!" said Head Coach
Meg Grose on what this means to her for her team.
The academic honor follows a successful 2025 season in which New Mexico Highlands recorded its most victories since 2013 and finished with its first home winning record in more than two decades.
The Cowgirls will open the 2026 season on August 28 at the Western Colorado Tournament before hosting the Meadow City Classic on September 4-5 in Historic Las Vegas.
