USA Volleyball Hall of Fame Honors Volleyball Greats in Columbus

Columbus, Ohio (May 24, 2024) – The USA Volleyball community gathered on Wednesday at the Hilton Polaris in Columbus, Ohio, to honor its annual award winners and inductees to the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame.

The ceremony, held the day before the start of the 2024 USA Volleyball Open National Championship, celebrated the achievements of volleyball greats across various categories. More than 300 guests attended the star-studded event.

The awards ceremony included standout athletes, coaches, officials, club directors and leaders who have left a lasting impact on the sport.

The evening was filled with special tributes and passionate speeches. Sarah Hirschland, chief executive officer of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, expressed her excitement for the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris this summer and her appreciation for the dedication and service of those present to the sport of volleyball.

Janae Edmundson, who received the Danielle Scott Courage Award, was honored with a special video tribute from her friends, family and teammates. Edmondson lost both her legs when she was hit by a car while walking in St. Louis for a tournament with her club team MidTN VBC. Five-time Olympian Danielle Scott presented the award, which she received in 2019.

USA Volleyball region leaders Jennifer Armson-Dyer, recipient of the Dr. Neville A. “Doc” Booth Commissioner’s Award and Kevin Wendelboe, recipient of the George J. Fisher Leader in Volleyball Award, were both saluted for their service to the sport.

Two-time Olympic coach Hugh McCutcheon was presented with the Harry E. Wilson International Service Award for his work as a senior advisor with the FIVB.

USA Volleyball recognized the 40^th anniversary of the U.S. Men’s National Team’s gold medal win at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic & Paralympic Games with a video tribute.

“The Hall of Fame represents the very best of USA Volleyball,” said Jamie Davis, president and CEO of USA Volleyball. “We are honored to celebrate the individuals who have made such tremendous contributions to our sport.”

The All-Time Great Athletes who were inducted, including Reid Priddy, Robyn Ah Mow, Jeff Nygaard, Heather Bown, Karolyn Kirby, Dain Blanton, Tracey Lange, and Brenda (Maymon) Jensen, shared stories from their time with the national teams and thanked their coaches and families.

Long Beach State men’s coach Alan Knipe was awarded the Donald S. Shondell All-Time Great Coach Award. Longtime women’s coach Marlene Piper, who worked at Portland State, Cal, UC Davis and Willamette, received the Bertha H. Lucas All-Time Great Coach Award.

Doug Beal, former CEO of USA Volleyball, received the James E. Coleman National Team Service award and spoke about the late coach Jim Coleman’s impact on the game. Later in the evening, coach Marv Dunphy joined Beal to accept the Harold T. Friermood “Frier” Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of the late coach Carl McGown. Dunphy and Beal spoke of the character and lasting impact of Carl’s work with the National Team programs and his contributions and influence on a generation of volleyball coaches.

Kathy DeBoer, former executive director of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) who also received the Frier Award, drew a standing ovation for her passionate acceptance speech where she recognized the impact of the leaders in the room on volleyball and encouraged self-compassion for the people who work tirelessly to see the sport advance.

Southern California Region’s Charlie Fuerbringer and Great Lakes Region’s David Wolff were honored as junior athletes of the year.

All proceeds from the event benefited the USA Volleyball Foundation.

The full list of 2024 award recipients is available here. A gallery of photos from the evening will be available soon.

The 2025 USA Volleyball Hall of Fame will be held in Denver, Colo.

About the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame
The USA Volleyball Hall of Fame presented at the Dorothy C. Boyce Banquet, in its 79^th year, is the premier U.S. awards ceremony recognizing volleyball legends and leaders and celebrating the entire volleyball community. The annual ceremony salutes the individuals who have shaped volleyball in the United States.