Aldis Berzins

Aldis Berzins
Personal information
Full nameAldis Imants Berzins
BornOctober 3, 1956 (1956-10-03) (age 68)
Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
College / UniversityOhio State University
Volleyball information
PositionOutside hitter
Number12
National team
1977–1985 United States
Medal record
Men's volleyball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1984 Los Angeles Team
FIVB World Cup
Gold medal – first place 1985 Japan

Aldis Imants Bērziņš (born October 3, 1956) is a Latvian-American former volleyball player who was a member of the United States national team that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.[1] He also won a gold medal at the 1985 FIVB World Cup in Japan, where he was selected as the best digger.[2]

College

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Bērziņš was a star outside hitter on the Ohio State volleyball team.[3] He played with future Olympic teammates Rich Duwelius and Marc Waldie at Ohio State.[3] In those years, he led the Buckeyes to four straight Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) championships and four appearances in the NCAA Final Four.[3] He graduated from Ohio State in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in astronomy.[3]

Bērziņš was inducted into the Ohio State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002.[3]

Awards

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Coaching

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Bērziņš has been head coach of the men's volleyball program at Stevenson University since October 2016.[4]

Personal life

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Bērziņš has worked as the Director of Information Technology for the Special Olympics.[1]

Bērziņš and his wife, Mara, have three sons, Kris, Mik, and Dainis, all of whom have played volleyball.[4] Mik was on the first NCAA National Championship team for Ohio State in 2011, and Dainis was on the National Championship team of Loyola University Chicago in 2014.[4] Kris played volleyball professionally in Europe.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Aldis Berzins". Olympedia. Archived from the original on April 30, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  2. ^ Krastev, Todor. "Men Volleyball V World Cup 1985 Japan - 22-01.12 Winner United States (1st)". Todor66.com. Archived from the original on September 5, 2023. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e [email protected] (August 10, 2012). "Gold-en Days of Summer Olympics Past – Part 5". Library.osu.edu. Archived from the original on May 20, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b c d "Aldis Berzins". Stevenson University Athletics. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
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