Misty May-Treanor

Misty May-Treanor was born on July 30, 1977, in Los Angeles, California. She grew up with strong volleyball and tennis influences, her father, Butch May, having been on the 1968 U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team, and her mother, Barbara May, a nationally ranked tennis player. May-Treanor started playing beach volleyball with her father at a young age, showcasing early talent. She attended Newport Harbor High School, where she led her volleyball team to state championships in 1992 and 1994, and was recognized as the best high school girls’ volleyball player in the nation by USA Today in 1994. Her collegiate career at Long Beach State University from 1995 to 1999 was marked by significant achievements, including captaining the undefeated 1998 NCAA Division I national champion team. She received consecutive National Volleyball Player of the Year awards in 1997 and 1998, and the Honda-Broderick Cup in 1998–99 as the nation’s top collegiate female athlete.

May-Treanor’s professional career began in 1999 on the AVP tour. After a brief stint with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, she transitioned to beach volleyball, initially partnering with Holly McPeak. The duo competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, finishing in fifth place. A pivotal moment in her career came when she teamed up with Kerri Walsh Jennings in 2001. This partnership would become one of the most dominant in beach volleyball history, leading to three consecutive Olympic gold medals at the Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, and London 2012 Summer Olympics. Their remarkable achievements included a record-breaking 112 consecutive match win streak and 19 straight tournament titles from August 2007 to August 2008. They also secured three FIVB World Championships in 2003, 2005, and 2007. May-Treanor retired from competitive play following their gold medal win at the 2012 London Olympics.