The Linfield University volleyball team has been honored with a Team Academic Award by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, recognizing the Wildcats' collective scholarly achievement during the 2022-23 academic year. 
 
In its annual announcement, the AVCA named to the list a record 1,332 high schools, colleges and universities from all levels of competition. A total of 229 NCAA Division III programs, including Linfield, were represented. Joining Linfield on the list of top academic programs were fellow Northwest Conference members Pacific, Pacific Lutheran and Whitman. The awards are sponsored by the United States Marine Corps.

"I am extremely proud of our volleyball student-athletes," said fourth-year Wildcats coach Haley Domeck. "They are dedicated to both athletic and academic growth. As a program, we have continued to maintain a strong GPA and this is a testament to the hard work our student-athletes display all semester long." 
 
The USMC/AVCA Team Award honors collegiate and high school volleyball programs that display 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. Linfield's student-athletes maintain a combined cumulative GPA of 3.37.
  
Domeck expects nine veteran players to report for training camp next month where they'll be joined by eight newcomers. The Wildcats begin the 2023 season in Quincy, Massachusetts, Sept. 1-3 when they are scheduled to compete at the Eastern Nazarene Invitational.