May-Treanor Produces Golden Hat Trick

8/8/2012

Playing in the final match of her career, former Long Beach State women's volleyball star Misty May-Treanor, along with teammate Kerri Walsh-Jennings, defeated fellow Americans Jen Kessy and April Ross (21-16, 21-16) in the 2012 London Olympics beach volleyball finals to collect their third straight gold medal.

May-Treanor and Walsh-Jennings began their dominance at the 2004 Athens games and carried the momentum to Beijing in 2008 to capture their second gold medal.

In beating Kessy and Ross, May-Treanor and Walsh-Jennings kept a perfect Olympic record intact. During their reign as "Queens of the Beach", the two won all 21 Olympic matches en route to becoming the first beach volleyball team to collect three consecutive gold medals.

May-Treanor joins UC Santa Barbara swimmer Jason Lezak as former Big West athletes who have stood atop the medal podium in London. Lezak captured a silver medal as a member of the USA mens 4X100 free relay team.

May-Treanor, a setter at Long Beach State (1995-98), won back-to-back National Player of the Year honors in 1997 and 1998. She culminated her career by leading the 49ers to the 1998 national championship and an unblemished 36-0 record. May-Treanor also collected Big West Player of the Year honors three consecutive years, from 1996-98.