South Florida Volleyball Earns AVCA Team Academic Award
July 23, 2026 | Women's Volleyball
The Bulls continue to excel on and off the court
TAMPA, Fla. (July 23, 2026) – The University of South Florida volleyball team received the 2026 AVCA Team Academic Award, which recognizes its academic achievements, the organization announced Thursday.
The Bulls were among 1,432 collegiate and high school volleyball programs nationwide recognized with the 2026 AVCA Team Academic Award. The honor is presented to teams that maintain a yearlong grade-point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale or 4.1 on a 5.0 scale.
USF continues to demonstrate its commitment to excellence both on and off the court, with the Bulls' academic achievements highlighting the dedication of the team's student-athletes in the classroom.
The AVCA Team Academic Award celebrates volleyball programs that excel academically while competing at a high level, recognizing the balance student-athletes maintain between their academic and athletic responsibilities.
Tickets:
For more information or to purchase season tickets, visit the official website at gousfbulls.com or contact the ticket office at 1-800-Go-Bulls or click HERE.
Follow us:
Be sure to follow South Florida volleyball on social media (X / Instagram / Facebook) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
About South Florida Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her seventh season at the helm of her alma mater in 2026. Named head coach on January 8, 2020, as a player she helped lead the Bulls to two conference championships and a pair of NCAA tournament appearances. As head coach, she led the Bulls back to the NCAA Tournament in 2025 for the first time since she was a player in 2002 and guided USF to the 2024 AAC regular-season championship, earning her first Coach of the Year Honor. In 2023, the Bulls won the American Conference East Division, made a postseason appearance in the NIVC, and advanced to the Fab Four to mark the longest postseason run in program history.
South Florida Volleyball has won nine Player of the Year honors, most recently with Maria Clara Andrade winning American Conference honors in back-to-back years in 2024 and 2025. The Bulls have also earned four Setter of the Year honors, most recently with Caroline Dykes being recognized in 2024.
South Florida volleyball has made eight NCAA Tournament appearances and won 13 conference titles since the program's inception in 1972. The Bulls play in The Corral (1,000), located adjacent to the Yuengling Center on the USF campus in Tampa.
– #GoBulls –
The Bulls were among 1,432 collegiate and high school volleyball programs nationwide recognized with the 2026 AVCA Team Academic Award. The honor is presented to teams that maintain a yearlong grade-point average of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale or 4.1 on a 5.0 scale.
USF continues to demonstrate its commitment to excellence both on and off the court, with the Bulls' academic achievements highlighting the dedication of the team's student-athletes in the classroom.
The AVCA Team Academic Award celebrates volleyball programs that excel academically while competing at a high level, recognizing the balance student-athletes maintain between their academic and athletic responsibilities.
Tickets:
For more information or to purchase season tickets, visit the official website at gousfbulls.com or contact the ticket office at 1-800-Go-Bulls or click HERE.
Follow us:
Be sure to follow South Florida volleyball on social media (X / Instagram / Facebook) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
About South Florida Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her seventh season at the helm of her alma mater in 2026. Named head coach on January 8, 2020, as a player she helped lead the Bulls to two conference championships and a pair of NCAA tournament appearances. As head coach, she led the Bulls back to the NCAA Tournament in 2025 for the first time since she was a player in 2002 and guided USF to the 2024 AAC regular-season championship, earning her first Coach of the Year Honor. In 2023, the Bulls won the American Conference East Division, made a postseason appearance in the NIVC, and advanced to the Fab Four to mark the longest postseason run in program history.
South Florida Volleyball has won nine Player of the Year honors, most recently with Maria Clara Andrade winning American Conference honors in back-to-back years in 2024 and 2025. The Bulls have also earned four Setter of the Year honors, most recently with Caroline Dykes being recognized in 2024.
South Florida volleyball has made eight NCAA Tournament appearances and won 13 conference titles since the program's inception in 1972. The Bulls play in The Corral (1,000), located adjacent to the Yuengling Center on the USF campus in Tampa.
– #GoBulls –
Players Mentioned
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