Misty May-Treanor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Misty May-Treanor
May-Treanor preparing to serve during a tournament in 2007
Personal information
Full name	Misty Elizabeth May-Treanor
Nationality	American
Born	(1977-07-30) July 30, 1977 (age 47) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	159 lb (72 kg)
College(s)	Long Beach State
Beach volleyball information
Years Teammate 2011–2012 2001–2009 1999–2000 Kerri Walsh Jennings Kerri Walsh Jennings Holly McPeak
Medal record Representing the  United States Women's beach volleyball Olympic Games Gold 2004 Athens Beach Gold 2008 Beijing Beach Gold 2012 London Beach World Championships Gold 2003 Rio de Janeiro Beach Gold 2005 Berlin Beach Gold 2007 Gstaad Beach Silver 2011 Rome Beach World Tour Gold 2002 Madrid Beach Gold 2002 Gstaad Beach Gold 2002 Montreal Beach Gold 2002 Klagenfurt Beach Gold 2002 Maoming Beach Gold 2003 Gstaad Beach Gold 2003 Marseille Beach Gold 2003 Klagenfurt Beach Gold 2003 Carson Beach Gold 2004 Fortaleza Beach Gold 2004 Rhodes Beach Gold 2004 Gstaad Beach Gold 2005 Portugal Beach Gold 2005 Paris Beach Gold 2005 Klagenfurt Beach Gold 2005 Brazil Beach Gold 2005 South Africa Beach Gold 2006 Greece Beach Gold 2006 Gstaad Beach Gold 2006 Mexico Beach Gold 2007 Paris Beach Gold 2007 Montreal Beach Gold 2007 Berlin Beach Gold 2007 Klagenfurt Beach Gold 2007 Brazil Beach Gold 2007 Phuket Beach Gold 2008 Berlin Beach Gold 2008 Paris Beach Gold 2008 Stavanger Beach Gold 2011 Beijing Beach Gold 2011 Moscow Beach Gold 2011 Klagenfurt Beach Gold 2012 Gstaad Beach Silver 2002 Marseille Beach Silver 2002 Mallorca Beach Silver 2002 Vitória Beach Silver 2003 Stavanger Beach Silver 2005 Acapulco Beach Silver 2006 Italy Beach Silver 2006 Paris Beach Silver 2011 Brasília Beach Silver 2011 PAF Beach Silver 2011 The Hague Beach Silver 2012 Moscow Beach Bronze 2002 Osaka Beach Bronze 2003 Rhodes Beach Bronze 2006 Brazil Beach Bronze 2006 Thailand Beach Bronze 2007 Stavanger Beach Bronze 2010 Stavanger Beach Women's volleyball Pan American Games Bronze 1999 Winnipeg Indoor

Misty Elizabeth May-Treanor (born July 30, 1977) is an American retired professional beach volleyball player. She is famous for winning three Olympic gold medals. As of 2012, she was the most successful female beach volleyball player. She won 112 tournaments in her career.

May-Treanor and teammate Kerri Walsh Jennings were gold medalists in beach volleyball at the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. They also won the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2007. The pair set amazing records together. They had a win streak of 112 consecutive matches. This included 19 tournament titles in a row from 2007 to 2008. They broke their own record of 89 consecutive wins. Many people call them "the greatest beach volleyball team of all time."

Misty May-Treanor stopped playing professionally on August 8, 2012. This was right after she and Kerri Walsh Jennings won gold in the 2012 Summer Olympics. She was honored by being inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2016.

Early Life and Education

Misty May was born in 1977 in Los Angeles. Her mother, Barbara, was a nationally ranked tennis player. Her father, Butch May, was a member of the 1968 United States men's national volleyball team. She has two older half brothers, Brack and Scott.

Misty grew up playing beach volleyball with her parents. They often played at the Santa Monica Pier. At age 8, she played in her first beach volleyball tournament with her father. Misty also played soccer, tennis, and enjoyed dancing. She attended Brightwood Elementary School and Roosevelt Elementary School. As a child, Karch Kiraly, a future national volleyball player, sometimes babysat her.

High School Years

Misty grew up in Costa Mesa, California. She attended Newport Harbor High School from 1991 to 1995. She helped her volleyball team win the state championship in 1992 and 1994. In 1993, she was named the Division I All-CIF team Player of the Year. The next year, USA Today chose her as the best high school girls' volleyball player in the nation.

While at Newport Harbor High, she also competed in track and field. She was very good at the high jump. In 1993, she finished second in the high jump at the CIF California State Meet. Misty May-Treanor was later inducted into Newport Harbor High School's Hall of Fame in 2014.

College Volleyball Career

May-Treanor played volleyball for the Long Beach State 49ers from 1995 to 1999. In 1998, the team she captained had a perfect season. They were the first women's NCAA volleyball team to go undefeated. She earned a bachelor's degree in kinesiology in 2002. In 2004, she was inducted into the Long Beach State Athletics Hall of Fame.

During her time there, she received many Big West Conference and NCAA awards. These included the Honda Sports Award for the best female volleyball player. She also won the Honda-Broderick Cup for the best overall female college athlete in 1998–99. She was named National Player of the Year in both 1997 and 1998.

1998 NCAA Championship

As the starting setter in 1998, May-Treanor led Long Beach State University to the Division I NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship. They finished with an amazing 36–0 record. She shared the NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player award. She set a tournament record with 20 service aces.

Graduate School Studies

Misty attended Concordia University in Irvine, California. She earned a master's degree in coaching and athletic administration. Her degree was awarded on May 4, 2013.

Professional Career Highlights

1999–2000: Early Career with Holly McPeak

Misty May played her first professional match on the AVP tour in May 1999. She was still a college senior at the time. After graduating in 1999, she joined the United States women's national volleyball team. A few months later, she left the national team. She wanted to focus on beach volleyball and teamed up with Holly McPeak.

They played their first tournament together on the FIVB tour in Brazil in November 1999. They finished 9th in that tournament. In 2000, May and McPeak found success. They won their first tournament together at a USAV event. They also had two wins on the FIVB tour. May was named the BVA Rookie of the Year for 2000. With three FIVB tournament wins, they qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympics. At the Olympics, they reached the quarterfinals. They finished tied for 5th place.

2001 to Beijing 2008: Dominance with Kerri Walsh Jennings

After the 2000 season, May teamed up with Kerri Walsh. Misty played as a defender behind Kerri's blocking. They spent 2001 and 2002 competing on the international FIVB tour. They won their first FIVB tour championship in 2002. In 2003, May and Walsh joined the AVP tour. They were named "Team of the Year" after an undefeated domestic season. They won all 39 matches and eight tournaments. On the 2003 international tour, they won 52 out of 56 matches.

From 2001 to 2008, May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings were incredibly dominant. They won almost every tournament on both the AVP and FIVB tours. At one point, they had a win streak of 112 consecutive matches. This included 19 straight tournament titles. This amazing streak lasted from August 2007 to August 2008. They broke their own previous record of 89 consecutive match wins.

After Beijing Olympics

Kerri Walsh Jennings and Misty May-Treanor in 2012

After winning their gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings returned to the 2008 AVP Tour. Their 112-match win streak ended when they lost to Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs. They lost again on September 7 to April Ross and Jennifer Kessy. This was the first time since April 2007 that they didn't reach an AVP tour final.

For the 2010 season, Walsh Jennings took a break to have her second son. May-Treanor teamed up with Nicole Branagh. They won several tournaments together, but it was a challenging year.

Injuries and Comebacks

Misty May-Treanor played much of her 2002 season with a torn PCL (a knee ligament). She had surgery in September of that year.

After winning her gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, May-Treanor injured her Achilles tendon. This happened during dance practice for the show Dancing with the Stars. The injury was successfully repaired. However, she did not return to competition for almost a year.

Retirement from Professional Play

Just before competing in the 2012 London Olympics, May-Treanor announced her retirement. She teamed with Kerri Walsh-Jennings for a third straight gold medal. She confirmed her retirement shortly after their Olympic victory.

May-Treanor completed her master's degree from Concordia University Irvine. Her degree was in Coaching and Athletic Administration.

Coaching Career

Misty May-Treanor was a coach for the women's volleyball team at Irvine Valley College starting in 2001. Her high school volleyball coach, Tom Pestolesi, was the head coach there.

As of July 2016, she is the Director of Volleyball at Long Beach City College. She coaches both the women's indoor and beach volleyball teams. Under her leadership, the LBCC teams have done very well. In the 2016–17 season, the indoor team won their first conference title in 16 years. They also reached the second round of the state playoffs. For beach volleyball, they made it to the state finals in their first year. One of their teams even won the state title. In the 2017–18 season, the indoor team had another strong year.

She also owns a beach volleyball club called Dream in Gold (DIG). This club helps train the next generation of beach volleyball players.

Olympic History and Achievements

U.S. President George W. Bush visits May-Treanor (left) and Walsh Jennings (right) at the 2008 Olympics.

Sydney 2000 Olympics

Misty May was affected by an abdominal injury in her first Olympics. She finished fifth with her partner Holly McPeak at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Athens 2004 Olympics

Misty and Kerri Walsh were on a 90-match win streak. They continued their winning ways through the 2004 Summer Olympics. In the semifinals, they beat fellow Americans Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs. May and Walsh then defeated Brazil in the championship match to win the gold medal. The duo did not lose a single set in all seven matches they played.

Beijing 2008 Olympics

On August 21, May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings won their second Olympic gold medal. They defeated the top-seeded Chinese team in two games. They are the only beach volleyball team to win gold medals twice in a row. May-Treanor was named the Most Outstanding Player for the women's competition.

London 2012 Olympics

May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. In the first round, they extended their Olympic winning streak. They had won 32 consecutive sets without a loss. This streak ended when they lost their first set to the Schwaiger sisters from Austria. However, May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings still won the match.

May-Treanor and Walsh Jennings defeated fellow Americans April Ross and Jennifer Kessy in the final. They claimed their third gold medal.

Community Involvement

May-Treanor's official portrait as co-chair of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition.

Misty May-Treanor serves as a Sports Ambassador for Special Olympics Southern California. This means she helps promote sports for people with intellectual disabilities.

In May 2018, President Trump appointed May-Treanor to the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. She served as a co-chair, helping to encourage healthy lifestyles.

Personal Life and Family

Misty May started dating professional baseball catcher, Matt Treanor, in January 2004. They got married in November of that year. She and her husband live in Yorba Linda, CA. May-Treanor gave birth to their first child, Malia Barbara, on June 3, 2014. The couple later had fraternal twin girls, Mele Elizarin and Mia Kanoelani, on November 9, 2017.

Misty May-Treanor has two half brothers. Her brother Brack is a chef and appeared on the Food Network show Chopped. Her maternal aunt, Betty Ann Grubb Stuart, and maternal first cousin, Taylor Dent, were both professional tennis players.

A tattoo on May-Treanor's shoulder shows an angel with the initials "B.M." This is a dedication to her mother, Barbara May, who passed away in 2002.

Television and Film Appearances

May-Treanor has made several television appearances. She has been on Dancing with the Stars, CSI: Miami, Wizards of Waverly Place, and the Late Show with David Letterman.

In 2008, she competed in season 7 of Dancing with the Stars. Her partner was Maksim Chmerkovskiy. May-Treanor injured her Achilles tendon during a training session for the show. Because of this, she had to leave the competition.

After the 2008 Olympics, May-Treanor appeared in an episode of the Disney series Wizards of Waverly Place. On August 14, 2012, she was a guest on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

May-Treanor also appeared on Hell's Kitchen. She was a special guest at the chef's table in season 9, alongside Jennifer Kessy.

Awards and Honors

May (face not seen) celebrates with Kerri Walsh Jennings after defeating Brazil in the 2008 Beijing Olympics quarterfinal match

College Awards

Big West Conference Honors

May-Treanor received many honors in the Big West Conference:

• Big West Conference Freshman of the Year: 1995
• All-Big West First Team: 1995–1998 (4 times)
• Big West Player of the Year: 1996–1998 (3 times)
• Big West Player of the Week: 6 times

NCAA Honors

• NCAA Division I First Team All-American: 1997, 1998
• National Player of the Year: 1997, 1998
• Honda Sports Award: 1998–99
• Honda-Broderick Cup: 1998–99
• NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player: 1998

Professional Awards

AVP Awards

• AVP Best Defensive Player: 2006–2008 (3 times)
• AVP Best Offensive Player: 2004–2008 (5 times)
• AVP Crocs Cup Champion: 2006–2008 (3 times, all with Kerri Walsh)
• AVP Most Valuable Player: 2005–2008 (4 times)
• AVP Team of the Year: 2003–2008 (6 times, all with Kerri Walsh)

FIVB Awards

• FIVB Best Defender: 2007–2008 (2 times)
• FIVB Best Attacker: 2005, 2007–2008 (3 times)
• FIVB Best Setter: 2005 (1 time)
• FIVB Most Outstanding: 2005, 2008 (2 times)
• FIVB Sportsperson: 2007, 2008 (2 times)
• FIVB Tour Champion: 2002 (1 time, with Kerri Walsh)

BVA Awards

• BVA Rookie of the Year: 2000

Other Recognitions

Olympics

• Most Outstanding Player at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics.

Women's Sports Foundation

• Sportswoman of the Year Award: 2004, 2006 (with Kerri Walsh)

Hall of Fame Inductions

Misty May-Treanor has been inducted into several Halls of Fame:

• Long Beach State Athletics Hall of Fame (2004)
• Newport Harbor High School Hall of Fame (2014)
• International Volleyball Hall of Fame (2016)
• Southern California Indoor Hall of Fame (2017)

Key Achievements

• Most women's career tournament victories: 112
• Most women's career earnings: $2,132,733
• Most women's international career wins: 43
• Record win streak of 112 consecutive matches and 19 straight tournaments. This streak lasted from August 2007 to August 2008.

See also

In Spanish: Misty May-Treanor para niños