Dec. 15, 2000

Colorado Springs, Colo. - Michael Sondheimer, an early advocate of volleyball publicity, has been named the 2000 recipient of the AVCA Grant Burger Media Award. With the presentation of the 2000 award, the AVCA recognizes Sondheimer's continuous efforts to promote the sport of volleyball through the newest media technology.

Over the past 25 years, Sondheimer has done more to promote the sport of volleyball than most people do in a lifetime. He was the first person to broadcast a NCAA volleyball championship on radio in 1984 for UCLA, and now is heavily involved with Internet broadcasts. He was the color commentator, engineer and package producer for UCLA men's and women's volleyball teams' Internet radio broadcasts. In addition, he currently writes for the NBCOlympics.com web site and worked for NBC in Sydney at his third Olympics as a statistician and research announcer in both indoor and beach volleyball.

Sondheimer has worked for ABC, CBS, and ESPN Sports on virtually every collegiate championship as a television match courtside statistician, editorial researcher and event producer consultant. He worked for all CBS's NCAA women's volleyball broadcasts and has done all women's championships for TV since 1989. He works the regular Pac-10 women's volleyball matches, and this past summer assisted Fox Sports with the Beach Volleyball America Tour.

He has been honored with the first Virgo Nelson Award for his innovative women's volleyball media guide and has won 15 Co-SIDA publication awards in 10 years of sports information work. His contribution to the sport of volleyball is evident at every NCAA match. The official NCAA box score was initiated off of statistical forms that Sondheimer had developed in the late 1970's for NCAA men's volleyball championships.

Currently, Sondheimer is a UCLA Associate Athletic Director where he works with Olympic sports media. In addition, he handles all men's and women's NCAA playoff information and announcer background for ESPN and is also working with the USA National Teams on television broadcasts for NBC, Pax, and Fox Sports.

"Michael Sondheimer has been a pioneer in the promotion of volleyball to the nation and has contributed immensely in bringing recognition to the sport," explains Sandra Vivas, AVCA executive director. "His work with the Internet enables the sport to keep pace with the changing technology and shows his continuous dedication to the coverage of volleyball."

The AVCA Grant Burger Award, in its fourth year, is an honor intended to recognize members of the media who have been involved in the advancement of the sport of volleyball, whether through consistent coverage in all media, production of volleyball-specific publications, or extensive radio, Internet, or television exposure.

The award is named in honor of Grant Burger, former director of sports information and associate director of the AVCA (1988-92), whose hard work, innovative mind, knowledge and enthusiasm took media relations and publications at the AVCA to a higher level and increased awareness of the sport of volleyball nationwide.

The AVCA Grant Burger Media Award will be given to Sondheimer at the 2000 Tachikara/ AVCA Coach of the Year banquet, to be held Saturday, Dec.16, at the Marriott in Richmond, Virginia. The banquet is held annually in conjunction with the 2000 AVCA National Convention, which coincides with the NCAA Division I Women's National Championship, to be played Dec. 14 and 16 at Virginia Commonwealth University.