Dec. 15, 2009

ST. LOUIS- Saint Louis head volleyball coach Anne Kordes has been named the 2009 recipient of the Carl O. Bauer Award presented by the Missouri Athletic Club. The award, which was established in 1978, is presented annually to the top amateur sports figure in the St. Louis area. Kordes will receive her award at the 40th annual Jack Buck Awards Banquet Thursday, Dec. 17, at the Missouri Athletic Club in downtown St. Louis. The proceedings will be broadcast live on KMOX radio.

Kordes has guided the SLU volleyball program to unparalleled success, including three NCAA Tournament appearances and Atlantic 10 regular-season titles in the last four seasons as well as two A-10 Championship crowns. The Billikens broke into the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) top 25 for the first time Oct. 20, 2008, and have remained in the top 25 ever since. In 2008, Kordes led Saint Louis to another milestone - its first NCAA Tournament victory in only its second tournament match. That year, the Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association selected her squad as the "All-Sports Trophy Champion" as the top I-AAA women's volleyball program in the nation.

Kordes has been named A-10 Coach of the Year three times. In 2008, she earned CVU.com (Collegiate Volleyball Update) National Coach of the Year honors, was named AVCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year and was a finalist for AVCA National Coach of the Year accolades. Kordes' career record is 127-62 in six seasons at Saint Louis, her only Division I head coaching stop. She is the only coach in Billiken volleyball annals to pilot her team to four consecutive 20-win campaigns.

Kordes is the ninth person from Saint Louis University to receive the Carl O. Bauer Award, which is named in honor of the MAC's Athletic Director who brought innovation and inspiration to the Club during his 45 years of service. Former Billikens who received the honor are Cheryl Levick (2006), Marque Perry (2003), Doug Woolard (2002), Larry Hughes (1998), Erwin Claggett, Scott Highmark and H Waldman (1995), and Anthony Bonner (1990).

The event, which is open to the public, begins with cocktails at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and the program at 8 p.m. Admission is $125, which includes dinner, parking and gratuity. Reservations can be made by calling 314-539-4470.