Kerri Walsh is on her way to becoming the best female beach volleyball player of all time after a professional career spanning only seven years. She is a two-time AVP MVP and part of the Tour's Team of the Year for the past five seasons. She was named AVP Best Offensive Player in 2003 and for the third straight season, she was chosen as the FIVB's Best Hitter, Blocker and Sportsperson.
Walsh gained acclaim in 2004 by bringing home Gold from the Athens Summer Games, It was a US Olympic history first for Women's Beach Volleyball. The gold win kicked off a stretch of 50 consecutive match victories. She and partner Misty May-Treanor established AVP team records for wins (13) and prize money ($408,800), while Walsh set the standard for season wins by an individual and prize money. She has been the top-ranked player each season she has played domestically.
A Stanford University graduate with a BA in American Studies, Walsh became the second player in NCAA history to receive First-Team All-American honors her four attending seasons. She was also the first player in PAC-10 history to break the record for kills, digs and blocks. Before her successful transition to the beach, Walsh had a thriving indoor career where she was a member of the United States National Team for two seasons (1999-2000) and was a right side hitter on the 2000 Olympic Team, helping the team play in the medal round and finish fourth in Sydney.
Known in the world of volleyball as “six feet of sunshine,” Walsh grew up playing sports with her brother and two sisters (also volleyball players) near San Jose, California. Her parents were good role models: her father played minor league baseball for the Oakland A's and her mom was named two-time MVP in volleyball at Santa Clara University. Walsh’s sponsors include Speedo, Gatorade, Visa and McDonald’s. She currently resides in Hermosa Beach, California with her husband Casey Jennings, one of the top men's volleyball players. Learn more about Kerri Walsh on her website www.kerriwalsh.com.
