by Tony Thai, Sun Devil Athletics Communications Student Assistant
Linda Vollstedt, the longtime head coach of the Sun Devil Women's Golf program, is a legendary figure around Arizona State University's campus and across the Phoenix Valley.
As a letterwinner, a graduate, a coach and an employee, her 50-plus year affiliation with ASU has shifted from a responsibility to a vocation. Her six national titles, all during the 1990s, solidified ASU as the team of the decade and highlighted her hall of fame career, but it's the impact she's had on those around her that has left the most indelible mark.
From 1980 to 2001, Vollstedt, a five-time Golfweek National Coach of the Year, mentored 41 All-Americans, 12 conference medalists, nine U.S. Curtis Cup Team members, six U.S. Public Links winners, four U.S. Amateur Champions and four NCAA individual champions.
Vollstedt's involvement with ASU goes even further than just her time as a coach as she played for the Sun Devils from 1964 to 1968 and earned her degree in 1969. Since her retirement as a coach, she has remained involved with the community by working for the Sun Devil Club for the past 18 years.
Carl and Cher Maltese, longtime supporters of Sun Devil Athletics, are two of those people forever impacted by Vollstedt's great accomplishments, involvement and dedication to ASU.
Carl, an ASU graduate, and Cher ramped up their support of Sun Devil Athletics, concentrating on women's athletics, back in 2012 when they retired to the Valley. They felt women's programs and women student-athletes were just as successful as men's programs and athletes but were not receiving the same amount of support and attention.
As their involvement deepened with the Wings of Gold program, which supports all 14 women's athletics programs, their respect and admiration for Vollstedt continued to increase. As a result, they worked with the Wings of Gold Committee to create the Linda Vollstedt Coach of the Year Award in 2018 to honor her legacy and recognize a current coach who embodies the four pillars of the Sun Devil Way: integrity, championship performance, graduation and tradition.
Along with these pillars, the coach must also exhibit the legacy cultivated by Vollstedt, who achieved excellence through competition, classroom, mentorship and community.
- Integrity
o Provides a positive and enjoyable environment for student-athletes
o Adheres to NCAA and Pac-12 rules and guidelines
- Championship performance
o Athletic achievement winning percentage over .500 from previous season
- Graduation
o Student-athletes maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA
- Tradition
o Build and foster relationships within the community
o Participates in ASU traditions
"Creating the Coach of the Year award in honor of Coach Linda Vollstedt was a natural when you consider her accomplishments and passion for Arizona State athletics," Carl said.
The award includes two important components as the winning coach receives both a gold pin and a $10,000 donation to their program to go toward a wide range of needs, including enhanced nutrition, additional summer school classes, team travel and more.
The pin is near and dear to the Maltese's hearts as it represents Linda's purity of purpose, her achievements and her sacrifice to ASU, a true testament to Vollstedt's life and career. It features the Sun Devil Athletics' pitchfork logo surrounded by an olive branch wreath featuring Linda's initials. According to Carl, the olive branch wreath was the award used in the ancient Greek Olympics to signify you are the very best.
Missy Farr-Kaye, the current women's golf head coach, won the award in its inaugural year in 2018 and was presented with both the pin and donation at the annual Wings of Gold Celebration.
The award will be presented once again this year at the annual Wings of Gold Celebration on Wednesday, April 10.
Linda Vollstedt, the longtime head coach of the Sun Devil Women's Golf program, is a legendary figure around Arizona State University's campus and across the Phoenix Valley.
As a letterwinner, a graduate, a coach and an employee, her 50-plus year affiliation with ASU has shifted from a responsibility to a vocation. Her six national titles, all during the 1990s, solidified ASU as the team of the decade and highlighted her hall of fame career, but it's the impact she's had on those around her that has left the most indelible mark.
From 1980 to 2001, Vollstedt, a five-time Golfweek National Coach of the Year, mentored 41 All-Americans, 12 conference medalists, nine U.S. Curtis Cup Team members, six U.S. Public Links winners, four U.S. Amateur Champions and four NCAA individual champions.
Vollstedt's involvement with ASU goes even further than just her time as a coach as she played for the Sun Devils from 1964 to 1968 and earned her degree in 1969. Since her retirement as a coach, she has remained involved with the community by working for the Sun Devil Club for the past 18 years.
Carl and Cher Maltese, longtime supporters of Sun Devil Athletics, are two of those people forever impacted by Vollstedt's great accomplishments, involvement and dedication to ASU.
Carl, an ASU graduate, and Cher ramped up their support of Sun Devil Athletics, concentrating on women's athletics, back in 2012 when they retired to the Valley. They felt women's programs and women student-athletes were just as successful as men's programs and athletes but were not receiving the same amount of support and attention.
As their involvement deepened with the Wings of Gold program, which supports all 14 women's athletics programs, their respect and admiration for Vollstedt continued to increase. As a result, they worked with the Wings of Gold Committee to create the Linda Vollstedt Coach of the Year Award in 2018 to honor her legacy and recognize a current coach who embodies the four pillars of the Sun Devil Way: integrity, championship performance, graduation and tradition.
Along with these pillars, the coach must also exhibit the legacy cultivated by Vollstedt, who achieved excellence through competition, classroom, mentorship and community.
To be eligible, the coach must meet the criteria below.Congratulations to @ASUCoachCharli & @kianna_ibis on winning two prestigious awards tonight!
— Sun Devil WBB (@SunDevilWBB) April 11, 2019
Linda Vollstedt Coach of the Year ?
Heather Farr Award ? pic.twitter.com/3hulB0Bztm
- Integrity
o Provides a positive and enjoyable environment for student-athletes
o Adheres to NCAA and Pac-12 rules and guidelines
- Championship performance
o Athletic achievement winning percentage over .500 from previous season
- Graduation
o Student-athletes maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA
- Tradition
o Build and foster relationships within the community
o Participates in ASU traditions
"Creating the Coach of the Year award in honor of Coach Linda Vollstedt was a natural when you consider her accomplishments and passion for Arizona State athletics," Carl said.
The award includes two important components as the winning coach receives both a gold pin and a $10,000 donation to their program to go toward a wide range of needs, including enhanced nutrition, additional summer school classes, team travel and more.
The pin is near and dear to the Maltese's hearts as it represents Linda's purity of purpose, her achievements and her sacrifice to ASU, a true testament to Vollstedt's life and career. It features the Sun Devil Athletics' pitchfork logo surrounded by an olive branch wreath featuring Linda's initials. According to Carl, the olive branch wreath was the award used in the ancient Greek Olympics to signify you are the very best.
Missy Farr-Kaye, the current women's golf head coach, won the award in its inaugural year in 2018 and was presented with both the pin and donation at the annual Wings of Gold Celebration.
The award will be presented once again this year at the annual Wings of Gold Celebration on Wednesday, April 10.