 Pedro "Pete" Velasco died at home in Pahoa, Hawaii USA on March 21, 2023. A 1997 Hall of Fame Inductee, Pete was a starting player on the U.S. Men’s Olympic Volleyball team in Tokyo in 1964, serving as team captain, and again in Mexico City in 1968.
Pete first appeared on the national volleyball scene at the United States Volleyball Championships in Seattle in 1956, his freshman year at the University of Denver, as a member of the Denver YMCA team. He returned to his Hawaiian Island home the following year, hooking up briefly with the Central Hawaii YMCA team, before a long and glorious relationship with the Outrigger Canoe Club. As part of the Outrigger team, Pete took the mainland by storm, beginning a ten-year run of first team All-American Team honors in 1962, and was also named the National Tournament “Most Valuable Player” in 1965. Not content with just winning over the country, Pete joined the United States National team and represented Uncle Sam in the 1963 Pan American Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil and again in 1967, when the U.S. Team won the Gold Medal at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada. When the XVIII Olympiad opened in Tokyo, Japan in 1964, volleyball was officially presented to the world, and leading the U.S. Olympic Volleyball team onto the floor was its team captain, Pete Velasco. He returned to the Olympic forum in Mexico City four years later as a member of the 1968 US Olympic Team, which scored a tremendous victory in the early going, upsetting the highly favored Soviet team in pool play. After the ’68 Olympics, Pete decided to return to school, but still teamed up with John Lowell, the assistant Olympic coach in Mexico, playing the 1969 and ’70 seasons at Church College in Hawaii. The honors also followed Pete home, as he earned collegiate All-American status in both years, and was named the Outstanding College Athlete of America Award recipient in 1970. The year 1970 was doubly rewarding to Pete as the USVBA named him an “All-Time Great Player” award recipient as well, in recognition of his many achievements over the years. While Pete retired from national competition following the 1972 Nationals in Salt Lake City, the honors still continued. In 1978, he was the first volleyball player elected to the Hawaii Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. Pete was appointed AAU Junior Olympic Volleyball Development Chairman in 1979, and was named to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hall of Fame in 1980.
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 Hector ‘Picky’ Soto, a prominent Puerto Rican volleyball player and a 2019 inductee to the Puerto Rican Sports Hall of Fame, received the inaugural IVHF Mayoral Award of Excellence on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 at the Teatro Renacimiento in Arroyo, Puerto Rico by Joshua Garcia - Mayor of the City of Holyoke and IVHF Board Member. Joining Mayor Garcia at the special presentation was Arroyo Mayor Mr. Eric Roman, Noel Marrero & Jesus Prieto of the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation, Puerto Rican Senate Member Gretchen Hau, and members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Carlos Gonzalez and Pat Duffy (through her aide Juan Anderson-Burgos). “Picky Soto, the Pride of Puerto Rico, is a volleyball superstar,” Mayor Joshua Garcia said. “He has been a high scorer and a Most Valuable Player from his college days in Indiana to his professional career that brought him from Puerto Rico to Italy, Russia, Japan, Korea, Belgium, Turkey, and Tunisia. As Mayor of the City of Holyoke, the Birthplace of Volleyball, it was my honor and privilege to recognize Arroyo native Picky Soto with the inaugural Mayoral Award of Excellence.” “I'm grateful,” Soto said. “Coming out of a small place (Arroyo) compared to the world, it is difficult to process this recognition. It's a lot to process to have the International Hall of Fame recognize my career. I have the opportunity to receive this award, but many more citizens deserve it." Soto thanked his parents, María and Héctor, for being responsible for taking him around Puerto Rico to play since he was a child, his family of four, with his wife Amnerys, who accompanied him around the world when he played. And he thanked his teammates on the National Team, like the present Enrique Escalante, who helped him shine on the court, and his teachers in volleyball, like the present Frankie Santana and César Díaz, in addition to the late Carlos Arroyo. “Thank you for getting me out of basketball. I thank you, said the 6'7 tall player with a great leap to his teachers”, said Soto. “On behalf of the IVHF Board of Directors, we welcome Mr. Hector ‘Picky’ Soto as the inaugural recipient of the newly established Mayoral Award of Excellence,” commented IVHF President Steve Bishop. “Mr. Soto’s contributions to volleyball and the Federation of Puerto Rico are numerous. He has a storied career that merits recognition and this award will record his name in history alongside some of the sport’s greatest athletes, coaches, officials and leaders from around the world. We celebrate Mr. Soto and welcome him to the IVHF family.” Picky captured 3 Central America & Caribbean Games gold medals with the Puerto Rican Men’s National Team and was named Top Scorer of the 2006 FIVB World Championship (271 points) and 2007 FIVB World Cup. Picky’s 271 points still stand as the record for most points in an FIVB World Championship. The International Volleyball Hall of Fame Mayoral Award of Excellence was created in 2023 as an opportunity to recognize a person, group or organization that has directly contributed to the sport of volleyball or the International Volleyball Hall of Fame and represents the ideals and spirit of the City of Holyoke, Massachusetts – the birthplace of volleyball. The award will be given at the discretion of the sitting Mayor of Holyoke supported by the IVHF Board of Directors.  About the IVHF
Located in Holyoke, Massachusetts - the birthplace of volleyball - the International Volleyball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to honoring the legends, recognizing the greats, and preserving the history of volleyball worldwide. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 160 inductees from 25 countries and over 5,000 square feet of volleyball history. Thousands of people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game and experience the exhibits. Best known for its annual Induction Celebration honoring the game’s elite, the IVHF also operates over a dozen youth, high school, and collegiate competitions and programs annually. You can be a part of honoring and preserving the history of volleyball by joining the IVHF Membership Program. To learn more, visit https://www.volleyhall.org/membership.html. No. 3 Springfield College Topples No. 11 NYU for Seventh Straight IVHF Morgan Classic Title2/12/2023  The Springfield College men's volleyball team won the International Volleyball Hall of Fame Morgan Classic Championship on Saturday night in a straight-set victory over nationally-ranked NYU.
Springfield, which was ranked third in the latest AVCA Division III National Coaches Poll, improved to 10-1 on the season. Appearing in its 11th-straight Morgan Classic Championship match, this marks the eighth time, and seventh straight time that Springfield has been crowned the champion. For the second-straight year, Jarrett Anderson (San Jose, Calif.) was named the Most Outstanding Player as he produced a team-best 11 kills on a .423 hitting percentage to go along with 10 digs, four aces and two blocks. Dylan Mulvaney (Reston, Va.) had 32 assists in helping the Pride hit .427 and Chris Rouleau (Bay Shore, N.Y.) added seven kills and two blocks in the middle as the duo also earned All-Tournament Team honors. The weekend also featured #15 Rutgers-Newark and MIT who faced off in the consolation match with Rutgers-Newark emerging with the 3 set sweep. The Classic Weekend began, as it traditionally does, with a welcoming luncheon at the IVHF Museum where the teams had an opportunity to tour the Museum, learn more about the historic tournament, and hear remarks from each coach. MIT head coach Todd Elwell shared the impact the Morgan Classic has not only on the participating teams but the associated clinic participants as well. "You're going to be a light for somebody at the players clinic. You are going to say or do something that inspires someone." Elwell noted. "There are a lot of eyes on you and it is up to you to honor the game in how you handle the clinic, how you handle the match." On Friday night, Blake Arena was full of cheers at 6:00 pm when Springfield took on MIT in the opening match. Springfield dominated in a 3-0 sweep. At 8:00 pm, Rutgers-Newark took on NYU in a back-and-forth battle with NYU winning in 4 sets. Saturday was another action-packed day starting with the coach's and player's clinics. 80 participants of all ages and experience levels came to learn from the top coaches, Charlie Sullivan (Springfield), Jose Pina (NYU), Aidan Albrecht (Rutgers-Newark), and Todd Elwell (MIT) in clinics led by their teams. Area players and coaches spent the morning and afternoon learning and growing their skills. 2023 Morgan Classic All-Tournament Team: MIT - Kevin Windish Rutgers-Newark - Daniel Quay NYU - Gautham Dasari NYU - Lucas Osiecki Springfield - Dylan Mulvaney Springfield - Chris Rouleau Springfield - Jarrett Anderson (MOP)  Hector 'Picky' Soto (FIVB) The International Volleyball Hall of Fame is pleased to introduce the Mayoral Award of Excellence. The award is an opportunity to recognize a person, group or organization that has directly contributed to the sport of volleyball or the International Volleyball Hall of Fame and represents the ideals and spirit of the City of Holyoke, Massachusetts – the birthplace of volleyball. The award will be given at the discretion of the sitting Mayor of Holyoke supported by the IVHF Board of Directors.
The inaugural award will go to Hector ‘Picky’ Soto, a prominent Puerto Rican volleyball player and a 2019 inductee to the Puerto Rican Sports Hall of Fame. Picky captured 3 Central America & Caribbean Games gold medals with the Puerto Rican Men’s National Team and was named Top Scorer of the 2006 FIVB World Championship (271 points) and 2007 FIVB World Cup. Picky’s 271 points still stand as the record for most points in an FIVB World Championship. “Picky Soto, the Pride of Puerto Rico, is a volleyball superstar,” City of Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia said. “He has been a high scorer and a Most Valuable Player from his college days in Indiana to his professional career that brought him from Puerto Rico to Italy, Russia, Japan, Korea, Belgium, Turkey, and Tunisia. As Mayor of the City of Holyoke, the Birthplace of Volleyball, it will be my honor and privilege to recognize Arroyo native Picky Soto with the inaugural Mayoral Award of Excellence.” “On behalf of the IVHF Board of Directors, we welcome Mr. Hector ‘Picky’ Soto as the inaugural recipient of the newly established Mayoral Award of Excellence,” commented IVHF President Steve Bishop. “Mr. Soto’s contributions to volleyball and the Federation of Puerto Rico are numerous. He has a storied career that merits recognition and this award will record his name in history alongside some of the sport’s greatest athletes, coaches, officials and leaders from around the world. We celebrate Mr. Soto and welcome him to the IVHF family.” The presentation to Picky Soto will take place on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 in Arroyo, Puerto Rico. Joining Holyoke Mayor Garcia will be the Mayor of Arroyo, Mr. Eric Roman and representatives from the Volleyball Federation of Puerto Rico. About the IVHF Located in Holyoke, Massachusetts - the birthplace of volleyball - the International Volleyball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to honoring the legends, recognizing the greats, and preserving the history of volleyball worldwide. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 160 inductees from 25 countries and over 5,000 square feet of volleyball history. Thousands of people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game and experience the exhibits. Best known for its annual Induction Celebration honoring the game’s elite, the IVHF also operates over a dozen youth, high school, and collegiate competitions and programs annually. You can be a part of honoring and preserving the history of volleyball by joining the IVHF Membership Program. To learn more, visit https://www.volleyhall.org/membership.html.  IVHF ANNOUNCES 2022 WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS GIRLS VOLLEYBALL ALL-STARS
The International Volleyball Hall of Fame (IVHF) is excited to announce the annual IVHF Girls High School Volleyball All-Star Teams and All-Star Showcase presented by PeoplesBank. The event returns for its tenth installment honoring 58 student-athletes from 26 Western Massachusetts schools. All-Stars will be recognized for their achievements on Tuesday, November 22nd, at Holyoke Community College. Play begins at 6:30pm with a 3-set 2nd team all-star match followed by a 3-set 1st team match at 7:30 pm. Spectator tickets will be available at the door and include a complimentary admission pass to the International Volleyball Hall of Fame Museum. “The IVHF is very proud to have its home in Western Massachusetts and we are very excited to have this year’s event physically in Holyoke,” said IVHF Executive Director George Mulry. “Nowhere else in the world can call itself the Birthplace of Volleyball but Holyoke and it is a great honor to recognize and showcase these gifted high school athletes in the Birthplace of the sport.” All-Stars were chosen by the coaches that represent the 44 girls high school varsity teams in Western Massachusetts. Season standouts Paulo Freire (6), Amherst (5), Frontier Regional (5), Longmeadow (4), and Mt. Greylock (4) led all selections.  The International Volleyball Hall of Fame (IVHF) in Holyoke, MA is proud to announce the ninth IVHF Boys High School Volleyball All-Star Teams and All-Star Showcase presented by PeoplesBank. The 50 players selected represent 20 different high schools from across Western Massachusetts. All selected players will be honored at the All-Star Showcase on Wednesday, June 22 at Westfield High School. The event will start with a 3-set 2nd team all-star match at 6:30pm followed by a 3-set 1st team match at 7:30pm. Adult tickets are $10 and Students/Children are FREE. Admission to the All-Star Game also includes a FREE future admission pass to the International Volleyball Hall of Fame Museum.
“The IVHF is very proud to have its home in Western Massachusetts and we are very excited to again recognize the top players in our area.” said IVHF Executive Director George Mulry. “We were not able to hold this event the past two years so it will feel especially good to be back out on the court with everyone to honor these amazing players in person.” Selected players were nominated by Western Massachusetts boys high school coaches. North League powers Westfield, Ludlow, West Springfield, and Agawam led all selections while Duggan, Granby, and Frontier Regional will honor their first boys all-stars. For more information on the Hall of Fame Boys All-Star Volleyball Showcase, contact [email protected]. History-making class celebrates vast history and accomplishments. HOLYOKE, Mass., May 24, 2022 - The International Volleyball Hall of Fame (IVHF) is proud to announce its induction class of 2022. This history-making class spans a vast range of accomplishments, expertise, and history and will be enshrined on Saturday, October 22 in Holyoke. The 36th Induction class includes six honorees for the 2022 class: four-time beach Olympian and three-time gold medal winner Kerri Walsh Jennings (United States); all-time great indoor Brazilian Men’s and Women’s coach Bernardo “Bernardinho” Rezende (Brazil); founder and first president of World ParaVolley, Pieter Joon (Netherlands), who will become the first inductee in the ParaVolley category; four-time indoor Olympian and winner of two silver and two bronze medals, Samuele Papi (Italy); three-time indoor Olympian and bronze medal winner, Fernanda Venturini (Brazil); and former Technical Director of the Dutch Federation and FIVB Technical Committee member for 30 years, Peter Murphy (Netherlands), inducted as a leader. “This is a remarkable class of inductees for 2022,” said IVHF President Steve Bishop, also the President of the Florida Region of USA Volleyball. “On behalf of the IVHF Board of Directors, we look forward to welcoming these legends and their families to Holyoke for the celebration of the year. It is a special moment to watch each inductee reflect on their respective careers as they are celebrated for their many accomplishments and contributions to our sport. We invite the entire volleyball family to join us for this year’s event.” All told, the IVHF has inducted 155 individuals from 25 countries into its historic Hall of Fame – those totals will rise to 161 inductees after the 2022 event, including the first-ever inductee in the ParaVolley category. "All eyes will be on Holyoke this October" noted IVHF Executive Director George Mulry. "We are excited to honor this history-making class featuring one of the most dominant beach players to ever grace the sand, the first-ever inductee in the ParaVolley category, leaders on the court, the sidelines and on the cutting edge of the game. This class covers it all and is sure to make for quite an emotional Induction Ceremony.” The 2022 International Volleyball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place in Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA on Saturday, October 22, 2022. Ticket packages are available online at VolleyHall.org/Induction-Celebration. We encourage all volleyball enthusiasts to sign up to become a member of the IVHF through our membership program which will provide you behind-the-scenes and exclusive content before, during and after Induction Weekend. For more information on the membership program, visit VolleyHall.org/memberships. The International Volleyball Hall of Fame is a 501c3 nonprofit based in Holyoke, Mass., and is dedicated to preserving, honoring and promoting the game of volleyball at every level - men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The IVHF was incorporated in 1978 and continues to create a diversely representative institution from a wide range of countries and disciplines. For more information on the induction events, please visit the Hall’s website at www.VolleyHall.org or email [email protected]. Meet the IVHF Induction Class of 2022 
More Information Contact;
George Mulry, IVHF Executive Director (E-Mail: [email protected], Phone: 413-536-0926) 444 Dwight Street / Holyoke, Massachusetts 01040 / Tel: 413-536-0926 Website: www.volleyhall.org / E-mail: [email protected]  Tens of thousands of dedicated volleyball fans from 56 countries cast their vote for the Class of 2022! YOUR WINNERS ARE       To be elected, a candidate must receive a combined total of 75% or higher from the International Selection Committee - comprised of all living Hall of Famers and the top 6 nominees from the Fan Vote.
The International Volleyball Hall of Fame Class of 2022 will be announced in May and the Induction Ceremony is scheduled for October 22, 2022.  The list of nominees for the International Volleyball Hall of Fame 2022 Induction has been announced and the Fan Vote presented by Mizuno is now officially open through April 17, 2022. Fans can vote daily for as many nominees as they feel are deserving of Induction. The top 6 nominees selected by the public will comprise a "fans' ballot" that will be tallied along with the official selection committee ballots to pick the Class of 2022 inductees. "These nominees represent some of the biggest names in volleyball from the past two decades and beyond." said George Mulry, Executive Director of the International Volleyball Hall of Fame. "It's going to be really hard for people to narrow down their Fan Vote selections but it will also make this year's Induction that much more special for the selected class." The new class of Inductees will be announced in May and the 2022 Induction Celebration is scheduled for Saturday, October 22, 2022 and will be live streamed for anyone that cannot travel to Holyoke. Induction Celebration tickets are on sale now at this link.  The IVHF’s Morgan Classic is the premier annual men's collegiate tournament, held at Springfield College, featuring the top NCAA Division III teams in the country.  HOLYOKE, MASS. - The top teams in NCAA Division III Men’s Volleyball will visit Western Massachusetts for the annual International Volleyball Hall of Fame Morgan Classic, to be held Feb. 4-5 at Springfield College. The event is named in honor of William G. Morgan, the inventor of the game of volleyball at the Holyoke YMCA in 1895, and the first public exhibition of the sport, which was held at Judd Gymnasia on what is now the campus of Springfield College. This year’s event features powerhouses in men’s Division III volleyball, including top-ranked Springfield College, #3 Vassar, #4 NYU, and Endicott. Matches are 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. on Friday, with the winners from each match battling for the title on Saturday night. Match tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for youth and students and can be purchased online or at the door. This action-packed weekend commemorates volleyball’s heritage by celebrating its founder and recognizing the talent of some of the top college athletes in the country. "The Morgan Classic is a special event for the Hall of Fame and Western Massachusetts as we pay homage to the founder of our sport and the role Springfield College played in shaping the game,” says IVHF Executive Director George Mulry. “This is one of those not-to-be-missed events in our area where you can see the power and fun of top level collegiate volleyball during the Friday and Saturday matches.” Springfield College is in the unique position to both host the prestigious event as well as come into the weekend as the top-ranked team in the country. Head coach Charlie Sullivan understands the significance of both of these things. “The history of the Morgan Classic is like none other,” he said. “The tournament dates back more than 20 years and has included some of the top college teams and players in the game, including several Olympians. This year is no exception, with three of the top four teams being ranked in the top five nationally. It’s an honor to collaborate with the International Volleyball Hall of Fame to showcase this college men’s volleyball event to the community of New England.” The history of the tournament and the sport isn’t lost on the participating teams either. “The Morgan Classic is always one of the most memorable parts of our season,” said Vassar head coach Richard Gary. “When our players walk through the [International Volleyball Hall of Fame], they connect to the long history of the sport, some of the great stories of achievement, and they come away energized and intent on playing hard.” Jose Pina, the head coach at NYU, couldn't agree more. "Being part of the Morgan Classic is always an honor to our program," he said. "To participate in all of the activities that go along with it and to visit the Volleyball Hall of Fame is always a highlight for our staff. Just being invited to be part of the wonderful tradition that Springfield College presents yearly to three other programs makes for a singular experience for our student athletes. To see and read about the history of the sport we love and to then go out and compete at Springfield College is an unforgettable experience." William G. Morgan invented the game of volleyball at the Holyoke YMCA in 1895. While he first named the game “Mintonette,” it was given its official and more familiar name during its first public exhibition at a conference of YMCA Physical Directors held at Judd Gymnasia on the campus of the International YMCA Training School – now Springfield College. It was at this conference that a professor of the YMCA Training School called attention to the volleying action of the ball and suggested a two-word version of its present name “Volley Ball”. And it stuck. Traditionally, the Morgan Classic weekend features many more events, including a lunch with all of the teams as well as clinics run by the teams for coaches and players of all ages, but Covid-19 considerations have postponed these events for 2022. The matches are still open to spectators, and the International Volleyball Hall of Fame will be open 10am - 3pm on February 4 & 5 for fans to stop by and visit. All attendees of the match get into the Hall for free with their match ticket. For coverage of the IVHF Morgan Classic and related events, be sure to follow @ivhf_events on social media and visit https://www.volleyhall.org/morgan-classic.html. Notable players and coaches who have participated in the Morgan Classic: Players: Lloy Ball - IPFW 1993 (IVHF Inductee & 2008 Olympic Gold Medal) Scott Touzinsky - 2001 Long Beach (USMNT & 2008 Olympic Gold Medal) David Lee - 2001 Long Beach (USMNT, 2008 Olympic Gold Medal & 2016 Olympic Bronze Medal) David McKienzie - 2001 Long Beach (USMNT) Casey Patterson - 2005 BYU (Pro Beach Player & 2016 Olympian) Matt Anderson - 2006 Penn State (USMNT & 2016 Olympic Bronze Medal) Max Holt - 2006 Penn State (USMNT & 2016 Olympic Bronze Medal) AJ Nally - 2010 Springfield (D3 Player of the Year & USMNT) Jeff Menzel - 2010 UCSB (USMNT) Thomas Jaeschke - 2013 Loyola (USMNT & 2016 Olympic Bronze Medal) Cody Kessel - 2014 Princeton (Professional Indoor Player & 2020/2021 German Bundesliga Champion) Coaches: Arnie Ball, Al Scates, Don Shondell, Mark Pavlik, Tom Tait, Pete Hanson, Bill Ferguson, Alan Knipe, Charlie Sullivan, and Aldis Berzins. About the IVHF
Located in Holyoke, Massachusetts - the birthplace of volleyball - the International Volleyball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preserving, honoring, and promoting the game of volleyball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 150 inductees from 25 countries and over 5,000 square feet of volleyball history. Thousands of people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game and experience the exhibits. Best known for its annual Induction Celebration honoring the game’s elite, the IVHF also operates over a dozen youth, high school, and collegiate competitions and programs annually. You can be a part of honoring, preserving and promoting the history of volleyball by joining the IVHF Membership Program. To learn more, visit https://www.volleyhall.org/membership.html |
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