Karch Kiraly One of Five Inductees to CoSIDA Academic All-America® Hall of Fame
May 8, 2009
Former volleyball great Karch Kiraly (UCLA '83) will be inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Hall of Fame in ceremonies on June 22 in San Antonio, Tex.
Kiraly, 48, retired in 2007 from professional beach volleyball after establishing a legacy in the sport unmatched by any player in the history of the game -- indoor or outdoor.
"I'm deeply honored to be inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-America® Hall of Fame," said Kiraly. "Caring as much about the `student' in student-athlete, engaging your mind as well as your body, and doing something well if you do it at all, are ideas I care deeply about -- and this award is the ultimate reflection of that."
On an annual basis, the Academic All-America® Hall of Fame inducts a deserving candidate whose college career preceded the Academic All-America® program in their particular sport. The eligible candidate's academic and athletic achievements must meet minimum criteria for selection to the Hall of Fame.
A three-time Olympic gold medalist, Kiraly is this year's honorary inductee. He earned his B.S. degree in Bio-Chemistry from UCLA in 1983 and graduated with a 3.34 cumulative grade point average. A four-time All-American, he led UCLA to three national championships in four years. Honored as the Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA Tournament in 1981 and '82, he earned NCAA All-Tournament honors three times. In his four years at UCLA, he led the Bruins to a record of 126-5 and two undefeated seasons.
The winner of an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship in 1982, he also won the NCAA Top Five Award in 1983.
"Karch always studied, practiced and played with great intensity. His rigorous course of study and excellent grades kept his options open for a career in medicine," said UCLA Head Coach Al Scates. "Instead, he chose to become the best volleyball player in the world."
A member of the United States National Volleyball Team from 1981 to 1989, he was honored as the team's Most Valuable Player four times. From 1985 to 1988, he served as the captain of the U.S. National Team and led the squad to a record of 211-35 during those years.
Widely considered America's greatest volleyball player, he led the U.S. Olympic Team to gold medals at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea. He was named the Most Valuable Player at the Olympics in 1984 and 1988. At the same time, he kept the United States at the top of the world rankings for several years with victories in the World Cup, World Championships and the USA Cup.
A three-time beach volleyball world champion, he captured his third gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. With Beach Volleyball making its Olympic debut, he led the United States to the Olympic championship, becoming the only three-time gold medalist in Olympic volleyball history.
In 2008, he was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. One of the top Beach Volleyball players in the world from 1979-2007, he won the World Championship of Beach Volleyball in 1979, 1981 and 1988. By the time he retired in 2007, Kiraly held the Tour record with 148 Open victories. In his career, he won more than $3 million, a Tour record.
In December of 2000, he was voted the Male Volleyball Player of the Century by the Federation of International Volleyball (FIVB). Inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993, he was also enshrined into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts in 2001. In 2006, he became a member of the AVCA Hall of Fame.
A tireless ambassador for the sport of volleyball, Kiraly conducts dozens of clinics each year and volunteers his time to the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Clemente, Calif. where he resides with his family. In addition, he oversees the Karch Kiraly Scholarship Fund, which awards 12 scholarships annually to graduating high school volleyball players.
The four other inductees are Tom Clark, basketball, Mount Vernon Nazarene; Diane Dietz, basketball, Michigan; Julie Roe, basketball, Millikin; and Dr. Patrick Tyrance, football, Nebraska.
Kiraly's induction brings UCLA's Hall of Fame total to seven members, a figure that leads the nation. Donn Moomaw (1988), Jamaal Wilkes (1990), Bill Walton and John Wooden (1994), John Fowler (1999) and Cormac Carney (2005) are UCLA's other inductees.
CoSIDA established the Academic All-America® Hall of Fame in 1988 with the purpose to honor former college student-athletes who have excelled in their professions and made substantial contributions to their community. To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, a candidate must have been an Academic All-America® team member who graduated at least ten years prior to nomination.