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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 15, 2025) — USA Volleyball will honor longtime coach and leader Bill Hamiter with the Harold T. Friermood “Frier” Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 USA Volleyball Hall of Fame Ceremony and Celebration. The Frier Award is USA Volleyball’s highest honor, celebrating individuals whose work has profoundly shaped the sport across the United States.
The annual event will take place on May 20, 2026, from 6-9 p.m. at the DoubleTree by Hilton Orlando at SeaWorld, and tickets are now on sale. Proceeds from the Hall of Fame banquet will benefit the USA Volleyball Foundation, helping fund the Olympic and Paralympic dreams of athletes competing in USA Volleyball’s national team programs.
Hamiter has led the U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team since 2009, guiding the program to historic success on the global stage. Under his leadership, the team captured its first Paralympic gold medal at the Rio 2016 Games and went on to achieve back-to-back titles at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games, marking a Paralympic three-peat. The team also earned silver in London 2012 and took silver medals at the ParaVolley World Championships in 2010, 2014 and 2018. Most recently, the program claimed gold at the 2025 World ParaVolley World Cup.
As director of the U.S. Sitting Volleyball Teams, Hamiter oversees the Paralympic program, leading athlete and coach development and expanding competitive opportunities for both the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Sitting Teams. During his tenure, the men’s team won gold at the 2003 Parapan American Games, qualified for the 2004 Paralympics, and secured silver in 2007. Hamiter served as head coach of the men’s team from 2001 to 2010 and again in 2013.
His coaching career began in the collegiate and high school ranks, including assistant coaching at the University of Central Oklahoma from 1998 to 2005, where the program earned three division titles and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2002. Earlier, as head coach at Southern Nazarene University (1986–1991), he led the team to five district titles, two regional titles, and multiple NAIA national tournament appearances. At Heritage Hall High School, he guided the program to three consecutive state championships and was named Oklahoma Volleyball Coach of the Year in 2008. Hamiter also founded Oklahoma Wind Volleyball Club and Oklahoma Peak Performance, serving as club director and developing future generations of athletes.
Most recently, Hamiter was named the 2024 Paralympic Coach of the Year by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, recognizing his enduring influence and innovation in the sport. His forward-thinking approach, integrating data analytics, performance tracking, and video analysis—has helped elevate U.S. sitting volleyball to world-leading standards. In Paris, the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team earned gold once again, led by standout performances from Heather Erickson (MVP and Best Attacker), Lora Webster (Best Blocker), and Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (Best Setter).
USA Volleyball is proud to recognize Bill Hamiter with the 2026 Frier Award, celebrating a career defined by excellence, innovation and championship-level leadership.