Karch Kiraly to lead USA women’s national team until 2020

Colorado, USA, May 5, 2016 – Karch Kiraly, who has served as coach of the United States women’s national team since taking over the squad in September 2012, has agreed to a contract renewal to lead the programme until the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

“I’m extremely grateful to Doug Beal and USA Volleyball for entrusting me with this special programme, both in 2012 and again now,” Kiraly said. “It’s been a tremendous honour to lead this special group of intelligent, powerful hard-working, dedicated women, and the great staff that supports them. And it’s a double honour to prepare for battle at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, knowing we’ll have the opportunity to carry that work forward in the next quadrennial. I first learned what a special privilege it is to represent our unique country as a 16-year-old with the boys’ junior national team at the 1977 FIVB Volleyball Junior World Championship in Brazil – at the same venue where this summer’s Olympic competition will be held.”

In his first more than three years as national team coach, Kiraly has guided the programme to an overall 102-20 record. He coached the programme to its first-ever FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship gold medal in 2014, along with the 2015 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix title, as the United States hosted the Final Round for the first time its 23-year history. USA have won six of their last seven tournament, including the 2016 NORCECA Women’s Olympic Qualification Tournament to earn a spot at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games this summer.

“I am extremely pleased to be able to extend Karch’s contract with USA Volleyball for another quad,” USA Volleyball CEO Doug Beal said. “His performance as a coach has been nothing short of fantastic. The team has accomplished successes at a level that make him one of the most impressive and successful coaches in the world today. The continuity this allows as we continue to build a broad program and Karch establishes his brand and culture on USA Volleyball is also exceptional for the future of our USA women’s national team.”

While the USA women have already made history with Kiraly as its coach, the programme will be looking to make more history at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Team USA, ranked No. 1 in the world by the FIVB ahead of No. 2 China and No. 3 Brazil, will be seeking its first Olympic Games gold medal. The squad, which has three Olympic silver medals in 1984, 2008 and 2012, and one bronze in 1992, is poised to make a run to the top podium with a core group of veterans mixed in …

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