The International Volleyball Hall of Fame (IVHF) has unveiled its distinguished list of finalists for the Class of 2026. These nominees represent excellence across various facets of the sport, including indoor volleyball, beach volleyball, coaching, leadership, and ParaVolley disciplines.
Following a rigorous international review, these finalists will now proceed to a crucial voting phase. This phase involves both the esteemed International Selection Committee and a worldwide fan vote. The much-anticipated final inductees are scheduled to be revealed on May 18.
Female Indoor Player Finalists:
Foluke Akinradewo-Gunderson (USA), Ana Ibis Fernández (CUB), Ekaterina Gamova (RUS), Fabiana “Fabi” Alvim (BRA)
Male Indoor Player Finalists:
Joel Despaigne (CUB), Kim Ho-Chul (KOR), Yuriy Panchenko (UKR), Rafael Pascual (ESP)
Female Beach Player Finalists:
Juliana Felisberta Da Silva (BRA), Xue Chen (CHN), April Ross (USA)
Male Beach Player Finalists:
Alison Cerutti (BRA), Pablo Herrera (ESP), Jonas Reckermann (GER)
Coach Finalists:
Marcelo Méndez (ARG), Laurent Tillie (FRA), Vladimir Alekno (RUS)
Leader Finalist:
Dr. Ary Graça (BRA)
ParaVolley Finalist:
Denis Le Breuilly (ENG)
Starting April 1, volleyball enthusiasts globally will have the opportunity to cast their online votes for their preferred candidates in five distinct categories:
- Male Indoor Player
- Female Indoor Player
- Male Beach Player
- Female Beach Player
- Coach
The outcomes of the fan vote will be published on April 17. The official induction ceremony, marking the pinnacle of the Hall of Fame’s annual celebration weekend, is set for October 17 in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
