At Stanford University, Kerri Walsh Jennings became the second volleyball player in NCAA history to earn four 1st Team All-American nominations. She also won 2 NCAA National Championships with MVP honors in both finals.
The Sydney Games
Kerri was only 22 when she made her Olympic debut on the USA volleyball team at the Sydney Games in 2000. The team finished just out of medal placement in 4th. After the Games, Misty May-Treanor invited Kerri to partner with her in Olympic beach volleyball, setting in motion the most successful tandem in women’s beach volleyball history.
Volleyball Dominance
The duo held an undefeated streak of 90 matches when they arrived in Athens for the 2004 Games. Their dominance subsequently continued as they won every match in straight sets and earned Olympic gold. On top of their Olympic success, Kerri and Misty also won FIVB World Championships in 2003, 2005, and 2007. When the Beijing Olympics arrived in 2008, Kerri and Misty were on a new 101-match and 18-tournament winning streak. Just like in Athens, they did not lose a set, earned Gold medals again, and extended their unbeaten streak to 108 matches. This newest unbeaten run eventually ended at 112 wins.
Three-Peat
But the pair was focused on another goal, their third straight gold at the 2012 London Games.
They advanced to 21 consecutive wins at the Olympics (since 2004) and won their third straight gold medal. Even more impressive, since the 2004 Games, Kerri and Misty lost just one set to Austria’s Schwaiger sisters in the preliminary round in London.
Fourth Medal at 38
While Misty retired after the 2012 Games, Kerri was still ready to continue her success. At 38 years old, she partnered with April Ross for her 5th Olympics at the 2016 Rio Games.
Together, Kerri and April won bronze, making Kerri the most decorated beach volleyball player in Olympic history.
Post-Volleyball Career
Kerri is also the co-founder of Platform 1440 (also known as p1440), which is dedicated to inspiring, empowering, and supporting our nation’s youth through the transformational power of sport – specifically volleyball. Additionally, Kerri is involved in the ownership group of the San Diego Mojo, a Pro Volleyball Federation team.
Kerri officially retired from Olympic pursuits in 2023 and looks forward to living a beautiful life with her family, continuing her entrepreneurial journey, and delivering impactful keynotes to the organizations that hire her.
