We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again.

If Craig Kolek were a basketball coach, he’d have a statue erected in his honor on the campus of Rivier University, likely right outside the Muldoon Center.

Maybe they still should.

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference probably would agree, as on Thursday it inducted the Rivier men’s and former longtime women’s volleyball coach into its Hall of Fame.

Kolek was one of 10 inductees, set to receive his honor at a big bash at a hotel at Logan Airport. It’s so fitting.

He is one of the best Division III volleyball coaches in the country. He surpassed 400 wins with both the men and women five years ago, a double feat that no other college coach in the country has ever done.

There’s so much more. He’s won six GNAC titles with the women, which means six NCAA tourney appearances. He’s been GNAC Coach of the Year not once, not twice, but five times.

Good grief, if you think that’s pretty good, he guided the Raider men to nine – yes nine – conference titles. We remember when former AD Joanne Merrill started the men’s program some three decades ago and then handed the reins over to Kolek. Jackpot.

So with the men, he has six Coach of the Year awards. That’s a total of 11.

Want more? With the men, his Raiders had one national Division III Final Four appearance and three Elite Eights. His victory total is well over 1,000.

See what we mean? Yes it’s volleyball, which doesn’t grab major headlines but certainly with us here and at Riv it gets coverage. And fans show up, it’s entertaining for college and high school kids to watch. Kolek has recruited players from all over the country for both the men and the women. He stepped down from the women’s job well before the 2022 season, and also holds the title of Associate AD at Riv.

The other coaches have to be jealous of his success. And the thing we like the best about Kolek is his astute and honest assessment of his teams. If he has a dynamo, he’ll tell you. If he has a team that could be but really isn’t quite there, he’ll tell you that. Class act.

“I realize I am biased,” Rivier AD Jonathan Harper said back in March when the announcement was made, “but for my money, he is the greatest collegiate volleyball coach of all time.”

Wow. Major words from a very plugged in athletic director. Harper’s been at Riv a year but he certainly knew of Kolek before he arrived. Why the ultimate praise? Simple.

“He has been able to dominate both the men’s and women’s games,” Harper said, “by wining the right way.”

Who knew years ago it would turn out this way? As Harper added, “His record is the byproduct of his knowledge of the game and the culture he instills with his teams.”

No question. He’s really legitimized Rivier’s athletic program with the success he created, not that the other programs haven’t had their moments.

But nothing like this.

Thus it was just fabulous that Kolek was set this past week to have his night. As Harper said, “He is the first coach you think of when you think of Rivier Athletics.”

Merrill has a field named after her for her incredible 40-plus years of service to the school. Time for Riv to give Kolek his due somewhere on campus.

How about Kolek Court at the Muldoon? Has a nice ring to it. Congrats, Coach.

Tom King can be reached at tking@nashuatelegraph.com, or on twitter @Telegraph _TomK.