LEXINGTON, Ky.—As it has proven year in and year out, the Chico State volleyball team never fails to deliver its absolute best in on-court competition. One other thing you can count on—the Wildcat players collectively strive to uphold those high standards when it comes to their education. As a result, the 'Cats' outstanding efforts in the classroom have once again been recognized—for the fourth year in a row, Chico State has earned Team Academic Award honors from the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).
 
Chico State is among 1,213 college and high school programs from around the country receiving the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award for the 2021–22 academic year.
 
The award, initiated in the 1992–93 academic year, honors volleyball teams that have displayed excellence in the classroom during the academic year by maintaining a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.0 scale, or a 4.10 cumulative team GPA on a 5.0 scale.
 
Chico State is one of 147 NCAA Division II women's volleyball programs to receive the USMC/AVCA Team Academic Award. The California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) fared particularly well, with the Wildcats among seven conference schools to garner the academic honor in 2021–22.