McDOLE, Stewart Lynn "Stew" ~ Graceland's Hall of Fame

MCDOLE, MCKAIN

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 8/25/2013 at 20:45:03

HALL of FAME

Stewart Lynn McDole
Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa

Stewart Lynn McDOLE, always known as Stew to students and colleagues alike, entered Graceland as a student in the Fall of 1961. He was a member of the 1965 graduating class with teacher certifications in Social Studies and Physical Education. He received the Graceland Silver Seal for student life.

In a pre-volleyball era tennis was his varsity sport under Hall of Fame Coach, Dr. Hal McKAIN.

Indiana-Bloomington was the next stop on the academic trail where he completed a Master's (1967) and ultimately a Doctorate (1977) in Recreation Administration and Leisure Studies. Indiana played in the only varsity collegiate volleyball conference in the Midwest as a club team.

Stew made his college playing debut for the cream and crimson. Three years as a player and two as the IU head coach sparked and forever cemented his love for the sport.

1968-1972 were spent in the full time service of the Center Stake jurisdiction of the now Community of Christ as Director of Youth and Leisure Ministries. In this role he developed an eight team youth and adult club program that competed in USA Volleyball settings. A late summer church youth volleyball tournament started by Stew in 1969 grew to 30 teams in 1972 and ultimately moved to Graceland to become the annual Sports, Arts and Leadership Spectacular.

The next eleven years were passed in Macomb, Illinois, as an Associate Professor of Leisure Services and Graduate Studies Chair at Western Illinois University. Stew coached the Leatherneck men's volleyball club often facing off with the Yellowjackets in league championships. During that stint he initiated at Graceland in behalf of USA Volleyball the longest running and most highly regarded volleyball camping program in the country. Stew has directed in excess of 300 camps over the years.

The Graceland era began in 1982 when Stew answered the call and followed his heart back to "the Hill." Since then the accolades have been rolling in. McDOLE teams have won 14 regular season Heart of America Athletic Conference championships, 7 post season HAAC championships, and he has been recognized as HAAC Coach of the Year 12 times. Three of his teams have made the jump to the NAIA National Championships finishing 9th (1986), 5th (1993) and 9th (2002) respectively. Parallel to his coaching achievements, Stew volunteers much of his time to better volleyball.

He has logged 13 years as an officer of the NAIA Volleyball Coaches Association serving twice as President (1994-96 and 2000-02). USA Volleyball recognized him with the George J. Fisher Leader in Volleyball Award in 1978. He was an NAIA Hall of Fame inductee in 1986. Stew served 10 years on the national board of directors of USA volleyball where in 1991 he was chosen as one of the five elected officers of the association. He continues to serve as a corporate officer and was in 2005 given the Harold T. Friermood "Frier" Award, the highest honor given by the association.

Stew represented the NAIA on the board of the American Volleyball Coaches Association for 17 years and was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame in 2003.

The current McDOLE win-loss record on "the Hill" is 745-363 [802-417 in 2012] and counting as he remains the Head Women's Volleyball Coach and continues year after year to collaborate with quality student/athletes to raise anew the traditions of Graceland Volleyball.

McDOLE also served a seven-year stint as the academic division chair. Through his leadership, Graceland has been one of the summer homes for USA Volleyball National Development Camps since 1972.

McDOLE and his wife, Patty, are parents to three children: Chad, Mica and Corey (all Graceland grads). The McDOLES are also the owners and operators of "Country Plus," a gift and Hallmark store in Lamoni, Iowa.

Stewart Lynn "Stew" McDOLE was inducted into Graceland University's Hall of Fame in 2007.

* * * *

Stewart L. "Stew" McDole was born in Los Angeles, California, on September 19, 1943.

Stew has guided one of Graceland's most consistently successful sports programs as coach of the Yellowjackets women's volleyball team.

Stew graduated from Graceland in 1967, majoring in social studies and minoring in physical education. He continued studying recreation at Indiana University, obtaining his M.S. in 1967 and his Re.D. in 1977 with a dissertation on "Philosophy of Recreation for the RLDS Church." In 1971, Stew joined the faculty at Western Illinois University to teach recreation and park administration and began coaching men's volleyball. He returned to Graceland in 1982 as professor of health, physical education, and recreation, and became head coach of the women's volleyball team that fall.

Ten times within a dozen years, Stew has led the Yellowjackets to heart of America Athletic Conference championships and claimed HAAC coach of the year honors. His teams collected the NAIA District 15 champsionship in 1986, 1989, and 1993, and at nationals placed ninth in 1986 and fifth in 1993.

The always upbeat Stew has also been involved in athletics at Graceland during Spectacular, for which he became chairman of all sports activities in 1976. Additionally known for his work in national volleyball organizations and programs, Stew entered the NAIA Hall of Fame for meritorious service in December 1996. He was inducted into Graceland's Hall of Fame in 2007.

Stewart McDole, Ph.D. serves as the Treasurer for the USAV Foundation Board and is the head coach of the Graceland women’s volleyball program where he has amassed more than 800 wins. In addition, he has been named the HAAC Coach of the Year 12 times. A postseason qualifier in each of his 28 seasons, his Yellowjacket programs have produced 21 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America selections and 32 All-America scholar-athletes.

Stew served a seven-year stint as the academic division chair and chaired the board of governors of the HAAC.

In June 2005, Stew was awarded the Dr. Harold T. Friermood “Frier” Award, USA Volleyball’s highest honor. He is an elected officer of USA Volleyball, where he served first as a board member for 10 years and subsequently as corporate treasurer for a total of 14 years, and as executive vice president for four. USA Volleyball recognized him with the George J. Fisher Leader in Volleyball Award in 1978. Stew served 18 years on the board of directors for the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) as the NAIA representative and was a member of the AVCA executive committee.

In February 1990, Stew was the cover feature for the AVCA’s official journal, Coaching Volleyball. He received the AVCA Founders Award in 1997 and in 2003, Stew was one of 23 members of the inaugural Hall of Fame class inducted by the AVCA.

SOURCES: gujackets.com/f/Hall_of_Fame.php; supportvolleyball.org/Board/StewMcDole.aspx

Goehner, David. “The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z.” Pp. 424-25. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.

supportvolleyball.org/home/about-us/board-of-directors/stew-mcdole/

Submission by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2013; updated January of 2016

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