ORANGE, CA — Two Orange Unified School District high schools, Canyon High School and Villa Park High School, have been recognized by the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section (CIF-SS) as 2025–2026 Academic Champions, highlighting the outstanding academic performance of student-athletes across a wide range of varsity programs.

The CIF Southern Section Academic Awards honor high school athletic teams that demonstrate excellence in the classroom, requiring a minimum team GPA of 3.0 (unweighted) and participation from at least five student-athletes. Schools must also have an enrollment exceeding 1,500 students to qualify.

Canyon High School: Academic Excellence Across 21 Varsity Programs

At Canyon High School, 21 varsity teams achieved an impressive cumulative GPA above 3.5, underscoring a strong culture of academic success among student-athletes.

Nine Canyon teams ranked among the Top 10 in the CIF Southern Section for their respective sports:

• Girls Cross Country (10th)

• Girls Golf (9th)

• Boys Volleyball (8th)

• Boys Track & Field (7th)

• Boys Basketball (7th)

• Boys Cross Country (4th)

• Boys Golf (4th)

• Traditional Competitive Cheer (2nd)

• Girls Stunt (1st) — highest GPA in the entire CIF Southern Section for their sport

“Canyon is incredibly proud of the achievements of our scholar-athletes,” school leaders shared. “This success reflects the dedication of our students and the unwavering support of our teachers, coaches, and families.”

Villa Park High School: A Legacy of Academic Champions

Villa Park High School continues its tradition of excellence, with 23 of its 26 varsity programs earning GPAs above 3.5.

Three teams achieved first-place CIF Southern Section Academic Championships:

• Baseball (3.748 GPA) — third championship in four years

• Football (3.583 GPA)

• Girls Swimming & Diving (3.733 GPA)

Top 10 CIF Southern Section Academic Finishers (Villa Park):

• Baseball — 1st (3.748 GPA)

• Football — 1st (3.583 GPA)

• Girls Swimming & Diving — 1st (3.733 GPA)

• Traditional Competitive Cheer — 3rd (3.647 GPA)

• Boys Water Polo — 5th (3.666 GPA)

• Girls Flag Football — 6th (3.761 GPA)

• Boys Swimming & Diving — 6th (3.871 GPA)

• Girls Track & Field — 7th (3.776 GPA)

• Boys Wrestling — 8th (3.347 GPA)

• Boys Golf — 8th (3.754 GPA)

• Boys Track & Field — 9th (3.621 GPA)

Additional highlights include:

• 21 of 26 teams ranked in the Top 25 overall

• 10 teams ranked in the Top 10

• 5 teams ranked in the Top 5

• Combined varsity athlete GPA: 3.64

Over the past decade, Villa Park High School has earned 16 CIF Academic Team Championships (15 CIF Southern Section titles and 1 state title), reinforcing its reputation for excellence in both academics and athletics.

“We are grateful for the commitment and collaboration of our students, teachers, coaches, families, and community,” school leaders noted. “These achievements reflect a shared dedication to excellence.”