MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (May 28, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s National Sitting Volleyball Team presented Order of Ikkos medals to the coaching staff of the 2016 Paralympic Games U.S. Paralympic Sitting Team coaching staff that guided the team to its first-ever Paralympic gold medal last summer.

The U.S. Paralympic Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team was led by head coach Bill Hamiter, and he was assisted by Cara Lang and Laz Beltran.

While the players either receive Paralympic or Olympic medals for their accomplishments, the coaches do not. The United States Olympic Committee established the Order of Ikkos prior to the 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games to acknowledge the coaches who lead their teams to success.

The coaches were honored prior to the start of day 3 of the USA Volleyball Open National Championships in Minneapolis where both men’s and women’s sitting teams are training and holding scrimmages. Later this week the sitting division will begin at the Open event.