SMC Indoor Volleyball Earns 2026 Team Academic Award

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Spartanburg Methodist College indoor volleyball team has been named a recipient of the 2026 AVCA Team Academic Award, the American Volleyball Coaches Association announced today. 

“I am so proud of these young women for making academics a priority along their athletic careers here at SMC,” said head coach Makayla Holcombe. “Their commitment, discipline, and hard work go way beyond what they do on the volleyball court, and it’s been so fun watching them succeed in the classroom too. Being a student-athlete is about so much more than wins and losses – it’s about showing up every day, putting in the work, and striving to be your best in every area of life. I am stopping proud to coach a group of young women who truly embody what it means to be student-athletes, and even more excited for the years ahead. ” 

This marks the third consecutive year the team has received this honor since the award was initiated during the 1992-93 academic year. The AVCA honors volleyball programs who have maintained a year-long grade-point average of 3.30 or better.