ST. JOSEPH, MO – Northwest Missouri State University’s Gabrielle Gartner was named the Athletic Solutions “A Game” Scholar-Athlete of the 2026 MIAA Volleyball Championship. She's the first Bearcat volleyball players to earn the championship's "A Game" Scholar-Athlete award. 
 
The top eight MIAA teams from the regular season advance to the Association’s postseason championship tournament, hosted by the St. Joseph Sports Commission November 12-14 in St. Joseph, Missouri. Among all the NCAA Division II volleyball players competing in the championship, Northwest Missouri’s Gabrielle Gartner was named the championship’s “A Game” Scholar-Athlete for her on- and off-court contributions this season.
 
Established by the MIAA in 2022, the “A Game” Scholar-Athlete Award presented by Athletic Solutions acknowledges the overall excellence of a student-athlete by recognizing one individual who has contributed to their team’s success while also achieving the highest academic standard among peers. The student-athlete honored with the “A Game” Scholar-Athlete Award must be an active member of a qualifying team and must have a minimum of two terms completed at the institution.
 
Gartner is a senior from Bryon, Minnesota, on the Bearcats volleyball team. In the classroom, she owns a perfect 4.0 grade point average, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biology/psychology. On the court, the 6’0 ride-side/middle hitter started 19 of the Bearcats 25 regular season matches. Gartner leads Northwest’s offense in points (234.5) and kills (221), and ranks second on the team in total blocks with 39 (two solo, 37 assists). She’s also collected 102 digs, eight assists and two service aces in 87 sets played.
 
Gartner is the first Bearcat to be named the “A Game” Scholar-Athlete of the MIAA volleyball championship and the ninth Northwest Missouri student-athlete overall to earn the honor. To view past “A Game” Scholar-Athlete award winners and find more information about the award, visit theMIAA.com/scholar-athletes.
 
Gartner and the Bearcats enter the postseason tournament as the No. 7 seed and face No. 2 seed Missouri Western in the MIAA quarterfinals at 12 p.m. on Thursday, November 12. The MIAA will honor Gartner with the Athletic Solutions “A Game” Scholar-Athlete trophy just before the Bearcats’ noon match time. To purchase tickets, view the official bracket and find more information on the 2026 MIAA Volleyball Championship in St. Joseph’s Civic Area, visit theMIAA.com/volleyballchampionship.
 
ABOUT ATHLETIC SOLUTIONS:
Athletic Solutions is an e-commerce and merchandise company created by former athletes and supporters with the mission of providing better gear and branding opportunities for schools, clubs, and student-athletes. The company specializes in print-on-demand technology, offering custom apparel and accessories for online team stores. One of their key focuses is supporting the growing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) space by helping athletes launch their own online stores and benefit from an industry-leading revenue share.