IPFW starts campaign to name court after retiring coach Ball

Coach Arnie Ball could have a permanent presence at IPFW’s Gates Athletics Center even after he retires at the end of the season.

IPFW announced Monday that it is launching The Arnie Ball Court Campaign, a $250,000 fundraising campaign to rename its home court after the Hall of Fame coach.


Ball founded the IPFW men’s volleyball team in 1981 and has accumulated the fifth-most wins in NCAA volleyball history. In addition, the only coach in the program’s history has led the Mastodons to six NCAA Tournament final four appearances.

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Along with his team’s success, Ball is a three-time recipient of the MIVA Coach of the Year and was named the 2007 National Coach of the Year after leading the Mastodons to the NCAA Tournament championship match. He also was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame in 2012.

“Coach Arnie Ball put IPFW on the map, let’s put his name on the court,” athletics director Kelley Hartley Hutton said in a statement. “Over his 35 year career he has led IPFW to National Championship matches and mentored countless young people at IPFW. Making Arnie Ball Court a reality would be a fitting thank you.”

The Mastodons in Ball’s final season are at No. 9 in the national coaches poll — their highest ranking since 2008.

Donations for The Arnie Ball Court Campaign can range between a one-time gift to a multiple-year gift. All pledges can also be paid during a five-year period with the final payment due Dec. 31, 2018.

This is the second fundraising campaign that a school recently launched to name an on-campus structure after a men’s volleyball coach. Ball State last year announced it was launching a campaign to name its new practice facility after former Hall of Fame coach Don Shondell.

To read more about The Arnie Ball Court Campaign or make a donation, click here.