COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 24, 2019) – Misty May-Treanor will be among a group of 25 volleyball legends and stars of the sport who will be inducted into the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame as presented at the Dorothy C. Boyce Banquet on May 22 in Columbus, Ohio.
The USA Volleyball Hall of Fame honors players, coaches, officials and other leaders within the sport.
May-Treanor, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, will enter the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame as its All-Time Great Female Beach Player award recipient for 2019. She is widely regarded as the one of the best beach volleyball players of all-time including 21 consecutive Olympic match victories and three FIVB World Championship titles. She finished her career with 112 tournament titles, including 43 international titles, and over $2 million won in prize money.
In addition to May-Treanor, John Kessel has been selected as the 2019 Harold T. Friermood “Frier” Award recipient, the top honor USA Volleyball can bestow on an individual. Kessel has devoted five decades of his life developing the sport of volleyball.
May-Treanor and Kessel will be joined by 2019 All-Time Great Male Beach Player Ron Von Hagen, who racked up 62 wins on the beach from 1962 to 1978.
The 2019 Flo Hyman All-Time Great Female Player and Tom Haine All-Time Great Male Player are Beth McLachlin and Bryan Ivie, respectively. Ivie, a three-time USAV Player of the Year, helped the U.S. Men to bronze-medal finishes at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, the 1994 FIVB World Championship in Athens and the 1991 FIVB World Cup. McLaughlin, an alternate on the 1968 U.S. Olympic Team and member of the 1970 World Championship team, helped Team USA win bronze at the 1969 NORCECA event and silver at the 1975 NORCECA Championships. Bill Stratton, J. Rashin, Bjorn “Joe” Johansen and Bernie Specht will also be recognized as All-Time Great Players in the Pioneer Division.
Kendra Lancaster, who enters the USA Volleyball Hall Fame as its 2019 All-Time Great Player in the Sitting Volleyball category, has earned three Paralympic Games medals, including two silvers and a bronze.
Pete Hanson, who has served as the head men’s volleyball coach at Ohio State University since 1985 and racked up three NCAA national titles, will be honored with the Donald S. Shondell All-Time Great Coach in the contemporary division. Stephanie Schleuder, with over 700 collegiate wins in 34 years and a 2015 inductee into the AVCA Hall of Fame, will be honored with the USA Volleyball’s Bertha Lucas All-Time Great Coach in the Pioneer Division.
Steve Bishop and Gloria Cox will be honored with the George J. Fisher Leader in Volleyball Award. Bishop, who has been the executive director of the Florida Region of USA Volleyball since 2005, has played a pivotal role in building indoor and beach volleyball at the grassroots levels in Florida. Cox has officiated volleyball matches since 1967, and has been head referee of the USA Volleyball Open National Championships since 2014.
Joel Reinford will receive the Wilbur H. Peck Referee Emeritus Award, while Tom Sullivan will be presented the Nancy S. Sharpless Scorekeeper Emeritus Award. Reinford was an FIVB international referee from 1998 to 2009 and served as a court manager for the 1996 Olympic Games volleyball matches. Sullivan became a referee and scorer in 1977 and holds several proud moments including appointment as official scorer for the 1996 Olympic Games gold-medal match in Atlanta.
Lori Okimura will be presented the William G. Morgan Award, given to outgoing chairs of the USA Volleyball Board of Directors. Okimura has served on USA Volleyball’s Board of Directors since 2012 and as its chair since 2014.
On March 15, USA Volleyball will add eight individuals within the junior volleyball community who will also be honored at the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame Boyce Banquet.
2019 USA Volleyball Hall of Fame Recipients (not including Junior Award recipients named March 15)
John Kessel – Harold T. Friermood “Frier” Award
Misty May-Treanor – All-Time Great Female Beach Player Award
Ron Von Hagen – All-Time Great Male Beach Player Award
Kendra Lancaster – All-Time Great Female Player Award – Sitting
Beth McLachlin – Flo Hyman All-Time Great Female Player Award
Bryan Ivie – Tom Haine All-Time Great Male Player Award
Bill Stratton – All-Time Great Player Award – Pioneer Division (2019 Only)
J. Rashin – All-Time Great Player Award – Pioneer Division (2019 Only)
Bjorn “Joe” Johansen – All-Time Great Player Award – Pioneer Division (2019 Only)
Bernie Specht – All-Time Great Player Award – Pioneer Division (2019 Only)
Stephanie Schleuder – Bertha Lucas All-Time Great Coach Award – Pioneer Division
Pete Hanson – Donald S. Shondell All-Time Great Coach Award – Contemporary Division
Steve Bishop – George J. Fisher Leader in Volleyball Award
Gloria Cox – George J. Fisher Leader in Volleyball Award
Joel Reinford – Wilbur H. Peck Referee Emeritus Award
Tom Sullivan – Nancy S. Sharpless Scorekeeper Emeritus Award
Lori Okimura – William G. Morgan Award