Jane Ward (volleyball)

{{Infobox volleyball biography

| name = Jane Ward

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Jane Lois Ward

| birth_date = {{birth date|1928|4|30}}

| birth_place = Buffalo, New York, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|11|24|1928|4|30}}

| death_place = Carlsbad, California, U.S.

| height = 170 cm

| medaltemplates-title = Medal record

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}

}}

Jane Lois Ward (April 30, 1928 – November 24, 2024) was an American volleyball player and coach. She played for the United States national team at the 1955 Pan American Games, the 1956 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship, the 1959 Pan American Games, the 1960 FIVB Women's Volleyball World Championship, the 1963 Pan American Games, the 1964 Summer Olympics, the 1967 Pan American Games, and the 1968 Summer Olympics.

Early life and education

Ward was born in Buffalo, New York on April 30, 1928.{{cite Sports-Reference|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wa/jane-ward-1.html |title=Jane Ward |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307165921/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wa/jane-ward-1.html |archivedate=March 7, 2016 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.volleyhall.org/jane-ward.html |title=Class of 1988: Jane Ward |website=International Volleyball Hall of Fame |access-date=December 24, 2024 }} She attended the University of Buffalo,{{cite web |url=https://socalindoorvolleyballhof.com/jane-ward/ |title=Jane Ward, 2020 |website=Southern California Indoor Volleyball Hall of Fame |access-date=December 24, 2024 }} where she majored in physical education, played hockey, and was a star player on semi-pro softball and basketball teams.{{cite web |url=https://ubbulls.com/honors/dr-and-mrs-edmond-j-gicewicz-family-ub-athletics-hall-of-fame-inductees/jane-organ-ward/202 |title=Jane Organ Ward |website=Dr. and Mrs. Edmond J. Gicewicz Family UB Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees |publisher=University at Buffalo Athletics |access-date=December 24, 2024 }}

Playing career

In the early 1950s, Ward moved to Southern California, where beginning in 1954, she played as an outside hitter and setter in the United States Volleyball Association (USVBA), primarily for the Long Beach Ahern Shamrocks. She was a dominant player in the league until her retirement in 1968; her teams won 13 national championships, she was All-American each year, and she was USVBA MVP five times.

Internationally, Ward played on the United States women's volleyball team at the World Championships in 1956 (the US's first appearance, winning silver) and 1960;{{cite web |url=https://athletics.cabrillo.edu/Hall_of_Fame/Jane_Ward |title=Jane Ward |website=Cabrillo Seahawks Hall of Fame |publisher=Cabrillo College Intercollegiate Athletics |date=December 16, 2019 |access-date=December 24, 2024 |type=with video career summary}} at the 1955 Pan American Games (winning silver),{{cite web |url=http://www.todor66.com/volleyball/America/Women_PG_1955.html |title=Women Volleyball Panamerican Games 1955 Mexico City |website=Todor |access-date=December 24, 2024}} the 1959 Pan American Games (winning silver), the 1963 Pan American Games (winning silver), and the 1967 Pan American Games (winning gold); and at the 1964 Summer Olympics (the inaugural year for the sport){{cite web |first=Bill |last=Kauffman |url=https://usavolleyball.org/story/different-generation-olympians-meet-at-foundation-reception/ |title=Different Generation Olympians Meet at Foundation Reception |website=USA Volleyball |date=July 22, 2016 }} and the 1968 Summer Olympics.{{cite web |url=https://usavolleyball.org/womens-national-team/womens-national-team-olympic-history/ |title=Women's National Team Olympic History |publisher=USA Volleyball |access-date=December 26, 2024 }}

Coaching career

After retiring as a player in 1968, Ward coached women's volleyball for 20 years. In 1968, she joined the coaching staff at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California. She was head coach from 1969 to 1978; her team won the California state title in 1978. From 1974 to 1979, she was also the first women's volleyball head coach at San Jose State University, where the team placed 7th nationally in 1978 and she was conference coach of the year in 1974.{{Cite web |publisher=San Jose State University |title=San José State Volleyball 2023 |date=December 1, 2023 |url=https://storage.googleapis.com/san-jose-state-prod/2023/12/02/bjFKPG3eAme0UX3EndXqJElFgqhfqeLHwdcqre1J.pdf |page=46}}

Death

Ward died on November 24, 2024, at the age of 96. {{cite web |title=Oldest Olympians |url= https://bsky.app/profile/oldestolympians.bsky.social/post/3lghvcgdefk2t |website=Bsky |access-date=24 January 2025}}{{Cite news |date=26 January 2025 |title=Jane Ward obituary |url=https://obituaries.tridentsociety.com/obituaries/san-diego-ca/jane-ward-12106444 |access-date=26 January 2025}}

Honors

USVBA All-Time Great Players Award, 1969{{cite web |url=https://usavolleyball.org/hall-of-fame/usa-volleyball-all-time-great-players-award/ |title=USA Volleyball All-Time Great Players Award |publisher=USA Volleyball |access-date=December 24, 2024 }}
International Volleyball Hall of Fame, 1988
USA Volleyball National Team Award, 2009{{cite web |url=https://usavolleyball.org/hall-of-fame/james-e-coleman-usa-national-team-award/ |title=James E. Coleman USA National Team Award |publisher=USA Volleyball |access-date=December 24, 2024 }}
University of Buffalo Athletic Hall of Fame, 1989
Cabrillo College Hall of Fame, 2019

Publications

with Allen E. Scates. Volleyball. Allyn and Bacon series in basic concepts of physical activity. [1969]. 2nd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1975. {{ISBN| 9780205048175}}.