Jan. 8, 2010

Fort Wayne, IN - Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) Chancellor Michael Wartell announced at a news conference this evening (Friday, Jan. 8, 2010) that the goal of raising $1 million dollars for the Arnie Ball Legacy Endowment has been reached. Wartell also announced that because the goal was met by Dec. 31, 2009, IPFW will match the donations dollar-for-dollar. "We started this campaign less than two years ago, and IPFW now has one of the few men's volleyball programs in the country whose scholarships are fully funded from endowments. My hope is that we continue to build endowments like this one for the rest of our athletics programs. The generosity of our supporters is matched only by the dedication and hard work of Arnie Ball as he begins his 30th season as IPFW's head men's volleyball coach tonight and I couldn't think of a better way to start the season than with this announcement."

Before the news conference, Tommy Bell, IPFW Athletics Director said, "Arnie Ball is more than a legacy; he's a legend in the world of men's collegiate volleyball. In 2007, he was named national coach of the year by two different organizations and the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA). In that same year, he and his team gave all of us a thrill when they went to the NCAA Final Four championships and received international media coverage. Arnie has had two Olympic players come from his teams over the years, including his son, gold-medal-winner, Lloy. His teams have made six NCAA Final Four appearances in all and played in seven MIVA Championships. Twelve of Arnie's players are in the IPFW Athletics Hall of Fame, 21 are AVCA All-Americans, and 59 are All-MIVA selections. These are just a few of the spectacular statistics Arnie has compiled in his 30 years at IPFW. I can't tell you how proud I am to be a part of this campaign and how happy I am to have Arnie at IPFW."