Photo by: Saint Mary's Athletics / Tod Fierner
BVB | Gaels Earn AVCA Team Academic Award for Fourth Consecutive Season
7/23/2026 9:01:00 AM | Women's Beach Volleyball
LEXINGTON, Ky. — For the fourth consecutive year and the fifth time in the last six seasons, Saint Mary's Beach Volleyball has earned the AVCA Team Academic Award. The AVCA presents this award to any high school, junior college or four-year college volleyball team that maintains a year-long team GPA of at least 3.3. Saint Mary's Beach Volleyball was one of just 43 collegiate beach volleyball programs to earn this distinction.
About this honor, head coach Janice Harrer stated:
"We are champions in the classroom, competitors on the sand! I am proud of our team for earning the AVCA Team Academic Award -- a reflection of their commitment to excellence in every arena!"
Saint Mary's Beach Volleyball enjoyed unprecedented success in 2026, winning a program-record 26 matches. The success, however, didn't stop on the sand, as five Gaels earned All-Academic nods from the West Coast Conference, including a WCC-high three first team All-Academic honorees (Genevieve Bane, Hannah Couch, Clarissa Klein). The Gaels finished out 2025-26 with a team GPA of 3.41, with 14 of their student-athletes maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA throughout the entire 2025-26 academic year.
#GaelsRise
About this honor, head coach Janice Harrer stated:
"We are champions in the classroom, competitors on the sand! I am proud of our team for earning the AVCA Team Academic Award -- a reflection of their commitment to excellence in every arena!"
Saint Mary's Beach Volleyball enjoyed unprecedented success in 2026, winning a program-record 26 matches. The success, however, didn't stop on the sand, as five Gaels earned All-Academic nods from the West Coast Conference, including a WCC-high three first team All-Academic honorees (Genevieve Bane, Hannah Couch, Clarissa Klein). The Gaels finished out 2025-26 with a team GPA of 3.41, with 14 of their student-athletes maintaining at least a 3.0 GPA throughout the entire 2025-26 academic year.
#GaelsRise
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
/ Women's Beach Volleyball
Monday, June 01
Sunday, May 31
Sunday, May 31
Saturday, May 30
