Misty May-Treanor
She redefined dominance in beach volleyball, forming an unbeatable partnership that captured three consecutive Olympic gold medals without losing a single match.
Born 1977 (age 49)·American beach volleyball player·Birthday: July 30·Generation X
Biography
Misty May-Treanor didn't just win at beach volleyball; she and partner Kerri Walsh Jennings authored a dynasty of such thoroughness it seemed to rewrite the rules of the sport. A California native born into athletics—her father was an Olympic volleyball player—Misty's genius was in her defensive wizardry. While taller partners often dominated the net, May-Treanor's lightning-quick reflexes, impossible digs, and strategic serving from the backcourt became the engine of their success. Paired with the towering, powerful Walsh Jennings in 2001, they forged a partnership that was both telepathic and terrifying. Their 2004 Athens gold was a statement; their 2008 Beijing gold, where they didn't drop a single set, was a masterpiece; and their 2012 London gold, after May-Treanor had come back from a devastating Achilles injury, was a testament to will. With 112 career tournament wins, they were not just athletes but cultural icons, bringing a new level of fame and scrutiny to the sandy court.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Misty was born in 1977, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Misty Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Misty's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won three consecutive Olympic gold medals in beach volleyball (2004, 2008, 2012) with partner Kerri Walsh Jennings.
- Holds the record for most career tournament wins (112) by a female beach volleyball player.
- Went undefeated (7-0) and did not lose a single set during the entire 2008 Beijing Olympic tournament.
- Won the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships three times (2003, 2005, 2007).
Did You Know?
She is a trained dancer and credited dance classes for improving her footwork and agility on the sand.
She suffered a severe Achilles tendon injury in 2008 while practicing for 'Dancing with the Stars,' which required major surgery.
She coached the women's indoor volleyball team at Long Beach City College after retiring from beach play.
Her mother, Barbara, was a nationally ranked softball player, making athletics a true family tradition.
“We're not playing for second place. We're playing for first.”
