Avery Jolley of Winthrop University has been named the 2025-26 Big South Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, marking the first back-to-back honors for a female athlete since 2005-07. Jolley is celebrated for her academic excellence with a 4.00 GPA in Business Administration and several athletic achievements, including being the first volleyball Academic All-American for Big South since 2020-21. She also concluded her season by earning AVCA All-America Honorable Mention, becoming the second Eagle in history to achieve this. In the 2025 season, she helped lead her team to a Big South regular season championship while setting individual records for kills and performance. High Point's Josh Caron was named the Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

By the Numbers
  • Jolley finished the 2025 season with 380 kills (3.76 per set), 27 service aces (0.27), and 430.5 total points (4.26).
  • In the Scholar-Athlete voting, Jolley accumulated 38 points (six first-place votes), surpassing Macy Johnson and Brianna Malone, who each received 20 points.
State of Play
  • Jolley’s achievements highlight a strong performance by Winthrop's volleyball program, following their Big South regular season championship.
  • The conference is increasingly recognizing both academic and athletic excellence among student-athletes.
What's Next

As Jolley prepares for her next season, expectations will be high for her to continue her impactful performance on the court and maintain her academic standards. She may also serve as an inspiration for other student-athletes aiming for similar academic and athletic accomplishments.

Bottom Line

Avery Jolley's recognition as a back-to-back Scholar-Athlete of the Year underscores her remarkable achievements both academically and athletically, setting a new standard for excellence in college sports.