COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 15, 2018) – The 73rd Annual Dorothy C. Boyce Awards and Recognition Banquet will recognize 17 volleyball legends and rising stars on May 23 at the Omni Hotel in Dallas. The Boyce Banquet is the signature event during the USA Volleyball Annual Meetings.
The individual honorees include:
- All-Time Great Male Beach Player: Randy Stoklos
- Flo Hyman All-Time Great Female Player: Polly Lowery Simmons
- Tom Haine All-Time Great Male Player: John Brame
- Donald S. Shondell All-Time Great Coach (Contemporary Division): Anna Collier
- Bertha H. Lucas All-Time Great Coach (Pioneer Division): Jeff Mozzochi
- George J. Fisher Leader in Volleyball: Lynne Updegraff
- George J. Fisher Leader in Volleyball: Steve Robb
- Wilbur H. Peck Referee Emeritus: Doug Wilson
- Junior Service Award – Outstanding Program Director: Dan Smith
- Junior Service Award – Outstanding Male Coach: Joe Hovanes
- Junior Service Award – Outstanding Female Coach: Karen Schmitz
- Junior Service Award – Outstanding Clinician: Sarah E. Hammers
- Junior Service Award – Outstanding Service: Joe Thomas
- Junior Service Award – Outstanding Referee: John Bear
- Junior Service Award – Outstanding Scorer: Lauren Lange
- Junior Service Award – Outstanding Parent: Kathy Gettinger
- Harold T. Friermood “Frier” Award: to be announced during Boyce Banquet
adidas and Molten co-sponsor the Boyce Banquet.
The Dr. Harold T. Friermood “Frier” Award, the top honor given out by USA Volleyball, is secret until announced during the Boyce Banquet. New in 2018 is the addition of the Junior Service award presentations during the Boyce Banquet as opposed to a standalone luncheon for the awardees.
The banquet starts at 6:30 p.m. CT following a reception at 6 p.m. CT.
Get to Know the Recipients
Randy Stoklos: won five world championship beach events from 1987 to 1992 and is the first player to earn $1 million for beach volleyball (finished with nearly $2 million in winnings); earned four consecutive FIVB Tour Champion awards with Sinjin Smith from 1989-92; named AVP MVP three times; earned 122 total titles; inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2008.
Polly Lowery Simmons: member of U.S. Women’s National Team for 1955 Pan American Games and 1956 FIVB World Championship; played in four USA Volleyball National Championships finals, winning twice; two-time USA Volleyball Open National Championships Women’s Open Division all-American.
John Brame: helped U.S. Men’s National Team win gold at the 1955 Pan American Games and was a seven-time all-American selection; served 40 years between active and reserve duty as a Marine and commander in the U.S. Navy with work for the Pentagon and White House; his team created the all-volunteer draft.
Anna Collier: coached beach team Holly McPeak and Nancy Reno at the 1996 Olympic Games, followed by Annette Davis and Jenny Johnson at the 2000 Olympic Games; entering 2018 season, compiled 146-18 record as beach at University of Southern California with first two NCAA titles.
Jeff Mozzochi: led Portland State University to four NCAA Division II national championships from 1984 to 1992 and coached three AVCA Division II National Players of the Year; coached at Oregon State from 1993-98 and compiled second most wins in school history; returned to coach at Portland State from 2001-2009.
Lynne Updegraff: recently retired as commissioner of the Iowa Region after holding the position since 1995; earned her USA Volleyball national referee patch in 1992; served as Regional Volleyball Association Assembly chair of USA Volleyball’s Structure and Function Committee for three years and its Election Committee for four years; served as IMPACT instructor for 15 years.
Steve Robb: served as both an indoor and beach international FIVB referee; officiated in the Olympic Games and FIVB World Championships; chaired the USAV Indoor International Referees Commission from 2012-17; served as USA Volleyball indoor rules interpreter from 1996-2004 and as Beach Rules Interpreter from 2008-12; appointed head referee at numerous national championships.
Doug Wilson: refereed over 300 international indoor and beach volleyball matches, including at the 2000 Olympic Games; refereed on the beach for six years and served as beach referee manager at the 1996 Olympic Games; Officiated at the 1997 FIVB Beach World Championships; member of FIVB Referee Commission from 2013-16 and NORCECA Referee Commission since 2002.
John Bear: official for 11 years as a way to stay involved in the sport after three daughters finished playing; active referee in high school, college and USAV; earned Florida Region’s Outstanding Referee in 2017; approaches each match as a challenge to excel and not be noticed.
Kathy Gettinger: began playing volleyball as a fifth grader and continues as an adult player in the St. Louis area; coached club volleyball in Gateway Region for almost 10 years; as her two boys became involved in club volleyball, she became involved as team parent coordinator, including with St. Louis High Performance for five years.
Sarah E. Hammers: been involved with USA Volleyball since 1985; taught IMPACT clinics within North Country Region since 2003; finishing her 10th year coaching at Central High School in Norwood Young America, Minnesota; in her eighth year as head coach and 10th year as club director of Raiders Volleyball; part of North Country Region Board of Directors since 2014.
Joe Hovanes: coached USAV boys club teams for Ultimate VBC the last 15 years; amassed club record for match wins and top finishes; since 2003, led his team to 15 first-place finishes at USAV Boys’ National Bid Tournaments and nine top-10 finishes at USAV Boys’ Junior National Championships; helped 136 players attain collegiate volleyball rosters with four going on to play at the pro level.
Lauren Lange: currently middle blocker for Palm Beach Juniors 16 Elite and has played club volleyball since 2013; awarded Florida Region’s 2017 Outstanding Junior Scorekeeper award; holds both referee and scorer certification; helped her 2016 Team Florida High Performance Girls’ National Select Team to gold at USAV High Performance Championships.
Karen Schmitz: began coaching at age 18 and has coached for over 42 years; started coaching club volleyball for both boys and girls at the younger ages in 1997; currently coaches co-ed 8s and 10s with High Performance St. Louis; incorporates older club athletes as helpers on her youngest teams; named CYC District Person of the Year in 2004 and AVCA Boys’ Coach of the Year in 2016.
Dan Smith: served as club program director of Parkway Lightning Volleyball Club since 2003 where 150 athletes each year train and compete in Gateway Region; intentionally focused on developing players and helping them improve to ensure success with the local school programs; club has routinely given back with donations of new nets, pole systems and balls in several local school districts.
Joe Thomas: pioneer in the Delta Region, where as a 19-year-old African-American coach, began coaching Arkansas Juniors in 1984; dedicated his adult life to volleyball having coached thousands of young girls; coached with Arkansas Juniors for over 31 years with several trips to Nationals; certified as a USAV Regional Referee and scorer; on Super Bowl Sunday in 2016, Joe T woke up realizing he couldn’t see and continues to battle from complications with diabetes and kidney disease.