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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (February 19, 2026) — Seven legendary athletes will be inducted into the 2026 USA Volleyball Hall of Fame during the annual ceremony at the Dorothy C. Boyce Banquet on May 20 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld in Florida.
This year’s athlete inductees represent the pinnacle of excellence across all disciplines of the sport: All-Time Great Male Indoor Athletes Riley Salmon and Dave Saunders; All-Time Great Female Indoor Athletes Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson and Prikeba (Keba) Phipps; All-Time Great Female Beach Athlete Jen Kessy; All-Time Great Male Beach Athlete Phil Dalhausser; and All-Time Great Female Sitting Athlete Nichole Millage.
“These athletes represent excellence, sustained impact, and an unmatched commitment to USA Volleyball,” said John Speraw, USA Volleyball President and CEO. “Each of them has helped shape the trajectory of our sport and raise the standard for volleyball in the United States. We’re proud to celebrate their extraordinary careers and the example they continue to set for the next generation.”
All-Time Great Athlete Award Criteria
The prestigious All-Time Great Athlete Award is presented to players who have competed for at least five years on a U.S. National Team and participated in a minimum of five top-level international competitions such as the Olympic Games, FIVB World Championship, FIVB World Cup, or NORCECA Championship.
2026 All-Time Great Athlete Inductees
Riley Salmon – USA Volleyball All-Time Great Male Indoor Athlete
A standout outside hitter, Salmon was a key contributor for the U.S. Men’s National Team, known for his versatility and athleticism. He competed at the 2004 Olympic Games and then helped lead the Men’s National Team to gold in 2008. He helped the team achieve consistent success internationally and later continued his influence in the sport as a coach and mentor.
Dave Saunders – USA Volleyball All-Time Great Male Indoor Athlete
Saunders competed with the U.S. Men’s National Team for more than a decade as an outside hitter, winning gold at both the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games and at the 1986 World Championship. An all-round player, he was a three-time NCAA champion at UCLA.
Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson – USA Volleyball All-Time Great Female Indoor Athlete
One of the most decorated middle blockers in U.S. history, Akinradewo Gunderson is a three-time Olympic medalist. A star player at Stanford and 2007 AVCA National Player of the Year, she was part of her first Olympic Games in 2012, winning silver. She helped lead the team to gold at the 2014 World Championship, bronze at the 2016 Olympics, and then was part of the U.S. Women’s first gold medal-winning team at the 2020 Olympics.
Prikeba (Keba) Phipps – USA Volleyball All-Time Great Female Indoor Athlete
A two-time Olympian at outside hitter, Phipps was the youngest player (19) on the U.S. Women’s National Team at the 1988 Games. After more than a decade playing professional volleyball overseas, she returned to the U.S. squad and helped lead the team to a silver medal at the 2002 World Championship. Two years later, she was part of the team that finished fifth at the 2004 Games.
Jen Kessy – USA Volleyball All-Time Great Female Beach Athlete
A silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games highlighted Kessy’s career as a longstanding leader on the U.S. Women’s Beach National Team. She won 19 titles on the U.S. pro beach circuit in her career and collected 10 international gold medals. She and partner April Ross were twice named the USAV Beach Team of the Year and were the 2013 AVP Team of the Year.
Phil Dalhausser – USA Volleyball All-Time Great Male Beach Athlete
Widely regarded as one of the greatest beach volleyball players of all time, Dalhausser is a four-time Olympian, 2008 Olympic gold medalist, and 2007 World Champion. Famous for his commanding block and all-around skill, the “thin beast” won 63 domestic beach titles and 38 golds on the international circuit. He and partners Todd Rogers and Nick Lucena won numerous domestic and international awards, and he was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2023.
Nichole Millage-Faust – All-Time Great Female Sitting Athlete
Millage-Faust is a four-time Paralympic medalist as an outside hitter/setter with the U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team. She spent 17 years with the team, earning silver at her first Paralympic Games in 2008. She won silver again in 2012, and then was part of the 2016 team that earned its first Paralympic gold, and she followed it up with another gold in 2020. She also won three silvers at the World Championships and three golds at the Parapan American Games.
Tickets for the banquet and ceremony are available for purchase. For sponsorship opportunities, please email Director of Stewardship and Foundation Operations Kyle Vaughn. Proceeds will benefit the USA Volleyball Foundation, supporting programs that grow and sustain the sport nationwide.
The induction ceremony will take place two days before the 2026 USA Volleyball Open National Championship begins at the Orange County Convention Center, making Orlando the center of the volleyball world for the week.