BEAUMONT, Texas — For the fourth time in program history, the Lamar University volleyball team has earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award, the organization announced Thursday.

The Cardinals received the honor for the second consecutive year and have now been recognized four times overall, joining previous selections in 2025, 2004 and 2003.

Ariel Apolinario, entering his third season as head coach, became the second coach in program history to have a team earn back-to-back AVCA Team Academic Awards, joining Fiona Bolten-Simmons.

A total of 1,432 collegiate and high school programs earned the award for maintaining a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.3 throughout the academic year.

Lamar is one of 18 Division I programs in Texas to earn the honor and one of five Southland Conference schools recognized, joining East Texas A&M, Houston Christian, Stephen F. Austin, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Incarnate Word.

The 2026 season officially begins Friday, Aug. 28, with matches against CSU Bakersfield and Abilene Christian at the two-day ACU Invitational in Abilene.

Lamar enters the season following a 17-15 campaign in 2025, finishing fifth in the Southland Conference and making its second consecutive appearance in the conference tournament.