Editor’s Note: This article has since been updated.
Ball State announced Nov. 24 International Volleyball Hall of Fame member and founder of Ball State’s men’s volleyball program, Don Shondell, died Tuesday, Nov. 23 at the age of 92.
Shondell graduated from Ball State in 1952 and began the men’s volleyball program as head coach in 1964 where he remained as head coach until he retired in 1998.
Shondell received Coach of the Year honors eight times from the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) — the conference he co-founded and served as president for. Shondell coached 18 of the 19 Cardinal men’s volleyball teams that won the MIVA titles in program history.
Shondell was inducted into the Ball State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1983 and the first recipient of the Mikasa Lifetime Achievement Award in 1989. The USA Volleyball Association awarded Shondell with the William G. Morgan Award in 1989 and the Dr. Harold T. Frier Award in 1992.
In 19 seasons as Ball State’s men’s head volleyball coach, Shondell led the Cardinals to a 447-98-6 record and six NCAA Final Four appearances.
Shondell and his three sons, Steve, Dave and John were pioneers of volleyball in Muncie, according to Ball State, and the name Shondell is engraved in the history of the area.
“Don Shondell was a friend to Ball State, an icon in our Muncie community and a pioneer in the sport of volleyball,” Ball State President Geoffrey Mearns said in a statement.