10/18/2021 11:11:00 AM Dzubay's victory milestones: 885 to 900 to 1,000!
John Dzubay speaks to his players during last week’s home volleyball match against Kasson-Mantorville. Dzubay, the winningest high school volleyball coach in Minnesota history, achieved 1,000 victories for his career when the Tigers swept Fillmore Central on Thursday, Sept. 30.
Since 2016, John Dzubay and his Stewartville High School volleyball teams have reached three extraordinary milestones. When his team clinched a home victory over Lake City on Sept. 27, 2016, Dzubay won his 885th career match and became the winningest high school volleyball coach in state history. With the triumph over Lake City, Dzubay surpassed the 884 wins compiled by previous record-holder Gail Nucech, who coached volleyball at Hibbing 44 seasons before retiring in 2012. Then, when Stewartville swept Faribault Bethlehem Academy, 25-18, 25-16 and 25-15 at the SHS gym on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, Dzubay became the first volleyball coach in state history to compile 900 victories. Four years later, this past Sept. 30, the Tigers swept Fillmore Central, 25-16, 25-22 and 25-16, giving Dzubay the 1,000th match win of his 40-year coaching career. Despite the astounding numbers, Dzubay says his focus is on the players he coaches. "(Victories are fun), but it's more rewarding to be involved with so many great athletes, who are also great people," he said. "The best memories I have are always more about the girls I have coached, rather than the matches..." For more on this story pick up your copy of the Oct. 19 Stewartville STAR.
