Gabriella Kotsis

In addition to playing volleyball, Hungarian Gabriella Kotsis will be remembered as being a pioneering coach in the sport in her home country. Kotsis first played for Partizán in 1948 before spending her first spell at Ganzvillany from 1949 to 1954. During this time she played at the 1950 European Championship and the first women’s edition of the FIVB World Championship in 1952. Kotsis played for Vasas from 1954 to 1956, returning to play with Ganzvillany from 1957 to 1963. From 1949 to 1957 she also made 26 appearances for the Hungarian national team.

After a spell of domestic coaching roles in the 1960s at multiple clubs and age levels Kotsis became the coach of the women’s national volleyball team in 1970. She then coached the team at three successive Olympic Games - 1972 München, 1976 Montréal, and 1980 Moskva - the only woman to do this through 2022. Under the leadership of Kotsis, the Hungarian team finished in fifth place in München, and fourth place in Montréal and Moskva.

Kotsis was bestowed with multiple honours during her career including the Junior Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit in 1993 and being inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2010.