06-07-05 McDole Receives Prestigious Frier Award from USA Volleyball

06-07-05 McDole Receives Prestigious Frier Award from USA Volleyball

Graceland women’s volleyball coach Stew McDole was presented the Dr. Harold T. Friermood “Frier” Award, USA Volleyball’s highest honor, at the 60th annual Dorothy C. Boyce Annual Awards and Recognitions Banquet at the Adams Mark Hotel in Denver, Colo.

McDole is currently the treasurer of USA Volleyball, where he has been a long-time member of the USA Volleyball Executive Committee and Board of Directors.

According to USA Volleyball, the “Frier” Award is named in honor of Dr. Harold T. Friermood, the second president of the USVBA and one of the principal individuals responsible for volleyball being a part of the Olympic Games.

McDole has been at the helm of the Graceland women’s volleyball program for the last 23 seasons. He has amassed a 696-335 win-loss record during that time and, before finishing with a record of 13-16 in 2004, McDole posted 21 consecutive seasons with 20 or more wins.

During 17 of those years, he has led the squad to a Heart of America Athletic Conference regular or post season title and has been named the HAAC Coach of the Year 12 times. A post season qualifier in each of his 23 seasons, McDole’s Yellowjacket programs have produced 19 All-America selections and 24 All-America Scholar-Athletes.

Through McDole’s leadership Graceland University has been one of the summer homes for USA Volleyball National Development Camps since 1972. Literally dozens of “name” coaches nation- and world-wide have served as staff for the camps, touching the volleyball lives of thousands of high school and adult players over this 30-year span.

Stew, as he is addressed by players and colleagues alike, is a 1965 Graceland graduate; he later completed both a master’s degree and a doctoral degree in leisure studies at Indiana University-Bloomington.

Part of his current assignment includes teaching physical education and leisure services administration at Graceland where he served a seven year stint as the academic division chair.

McDole is an elected officer of USA Volleyball, where he served as a board member for 10 years; as corporate treasurer for a total of nine years; and executive vice president for four years. USA Volleyball also recognized him with the George J. Fisher Leader in Volleyball Award in 1978.

Graceland is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). McDole has functioned as an NAIA national volleyball rater for 15 years serving twice as the national rating chair. He is presently the volleyball chair for NAIA Region V. Stew is also just completing a 14-year stint as an officer of the NAIA Volleyball Coaches Association where he has twice served as president. During that period he has been a member of the VCA recognition committee annually sharing in All-America, Player and Coach of the Year selections.

He has functioned on 15 tournament committees for the NAIA National Volleyball Championships and has served as tournament chair seven times. In 1986 he was inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame. In 2003 McDole was one of 23 members of the inaugural Hall of Fame class inducted by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).

McDole served 18 years on the AVCA Board of Directors as the NAIA Representative and was a member of the AVCA Executive Committee. In February 1990 McDole was the cover feature for the AVCA Journal “Coaching Volleyball”. He received the AVCA Founders Award in 1997.

Stew and his wife Patty are parents to three children: Chad, Mica and Corey. The McDoles are also the owners and operators of "Country Plus," a gift and Hallmark store in Lamoni.