YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — The Youngstown State volleyball program continued its tradition of academic excellence during the 2024-25 academic year, earning the 2025 AVCA Team Academic Award. This marks the 12th consecutive season that YSU has received the honor—a streak that began in 2013-14—and the first under Head Coach Riley Jarrett.
The Penguins posted an impressive 3.67 team GPA in the fall, which rose to 3.75 in the spring. Both marks exceeded the 3.30 minimum required to qualify for the award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association. A total of 1,450 collegiate and high school volleyball teams were recognized this year.
"It is very exciting to see that the record-setting, on-court successes during the 2024-25 season have extended to the classroom," AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon said. "The fact that more programs earned the Team Academic Award than ever before is evidence of how committed our coaches are to helping their players reach their goals as both students and athletes."
Eleven Penguins earned a 4.0 GPA in at least one semester during the 2024-25 academic year, and Maria Insana earned straight A's in both semesters. Insana, Abbie Householder, Isabel Schaefbauer and Niyah Setla were named Academic All-District by College Sports Communicators, and Householder was also voted to the Horizon League All-Academic Team.
