Wayne State University Athletics

Volleyball 7/23/2026 2:00:00 PM Cooper Weidenthaler, Assistant Director for Media Relations

Volleyball Recognized with AVCA Team Academic Award For 11th Straight Year

DETROIT -- The Wayne State University volleyball program has been recognized by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) for its academic success during the 2025 season with the AVCA Team Academic Award sponsored by INTENT. The award, which was initiated in the 1992-93 academic year, honors collegiate and high school volleyball teams that displayed excellence in the classroom during the school year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.

As a team, Wayne State posted a 3.693 cumulative GPA during this past academic year. WSU has been recognized with the accolade for 11 straight seasons and has earned the award in 13 of the last 14 years. That 3.693 GPA for the 2025-26 academic year included four perfect 4.0 marks, including Lauren Essenpreis (Amherstburg, Ont. / North Star S.S.), Aubree Garcia (Mount Pleasant, Mich.), Paige Giehtbrock (Clarkston, Mich. [Rider]), and Kayla Giroux (Flat Rock, Mich.).

Volleyball programs from across the country continue to enjoy widespread success off the court as 1,432 collegiate and high school volleyball teams earned the 2026 AVCA Team Academic Award.

"It comes as no surprise to see our sport have more than 1,400 teams earn the AVCA Team Academic Award again this season," said AVCA CEO Jaime Gordon. "We are grateful for the dedication of the coaches and players who make both classroom and on-court success the lifeblood of their programs."

About the AVCA
The association's mission is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy, and professional development. With a membership of over 10,000 and counting, the AVCA, based in Lexington, Ky. and managed by Associations International, provides a professional network for those individuals and companies dedicated to enhancing and promoting the sport. Members include collegiate, high school, club, youth, and Olympic coaches, as well as volleyball club directors. The AVCA provides professional development for volleyball coaches, recognition of elite players and coaches, promotion of volleyball competitions throughout the world, and networking opportunities for volleyball products and services providers.

About INTENT
INTENT, which is in its third year of sponsoring the prestigious award, is a game-changing, digital platform links student-athletes (along with military special ops veterans) to a powerful network of candidate-seeking employers. The tech, information and internet company guides student-athletes and service members toward professional and personal success in life after sports and service.

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Players Mentioned

#11 Kayla Giroux: MB; 6' 1"; Senior

#10 Lauren Essenpreis: OH; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#9 Aubree Garcia: OH; 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior

#12 Paige Giehtbrock: OH; 6' 1"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#11 Kayla Giroux
: 6' 1"; Senior
: MB

#10 Lauren Essenpreis
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: OH

#9 Aubree Garcia
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior
: OH

#12 Paige Giehtbrock
: 6' 1"; Senior
: OH