Kerri Walsh Jennings

Kerri Lee Walsh Jennings (born August 15, 1978) is an American professional beach volleyball player, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and a one-time Olympic bronze medalist.[1] She is the beach volleyball leader in career victories as of 2016 having won 135 international and domestic tournaments.[2]

Kerri Walsh Jennings
Walsh-Jennings after winning the FIVB Moscow Grand Slam in 2011
Personal information
Full nameKerri Lee Walsh Jennings
NicknameSix Feet of Sunshine
NationalityAmerican
BornAugust 16, 1978 (1978-08-16) (age 45)
Santa Clara, California, U.S.[1]
Height6 ft 3 in (191 cm)[1]
Weight157 lb (71 kg)
College / UniversityStanford University
Beach volleyball information
Current teammate
Years Teammate
2019–present Brooke Sweat
Previous teammates
Years Teammate
2013–2017
2011–2012
2010
2001–2009		 April Ross
Misty May-Treanor
Nicole Branagh
Misty May-Treanor
Medal record
Women's beach volleyball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2004 Athens Beach
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing Beach
Gold medal – first place 2012 London Beach
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Beach
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2003 Rio de Janeiro Beach
Gold medal – first place 2005 Berlin Beach
Gold medal – first place 2007 Gstaad Beach
Silver medal – second place 2011 Rome Beach
FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour
Gold medal – first place2019Jinjiang Open
Gold medal – first place2016Long Beach Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2016Moscow Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2016Rio Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2016Cincinnati Open
Gold medal – first place2016Fuzhou Open
Gold medal – first place2014Long Beach Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2014Stavanger Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2014Moscow Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2014Fuzhou Open
Gold medal – first place2013Xiamen Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2013São Paulo Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2012Gstaad Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2011Klagenfurt Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2011Moscow Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2011Beijing Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2010Phuket Open
Gold medal – first place2008Stavanger Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2008Paris Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2008Berlin Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2008Dubai Open
Gold medal – first place2007Klagenfurt Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2007Berlin Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2007Paris Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2007Phuket Open
Gold medal – first place2007Brasília Open
Gold medal – first place2007Montreal Open
Gold medal – first place2006Gstaad Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2006Acapulco Open
Gold medal – first place2006Greece Open
Gold medal – first place2005Klagenfurt Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2005Paris Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2005South Africa Open
Gold medal – first place2005Brasília Open
Gold medal – first place2005Portugal Open
Gold medal – first place2004Klagenfurt Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2004Marseille Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2004Gstaad Open
Gold medal – first place2004Greece Open
Gold medal – first place2004Brasília Open
Gold medal – first place2003Carson Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2003Klagenfurt Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2003Marseille Grand Slam
Gold medal – first place2003Gstaad Open
Silver medal – second place2019Kuala Lumpur Open
Silver medal – second place2016Gstaad Major
Silver medal – second place2016Vitória Open
Silver medal – second place2015Long Beach Grand Slam
Silver medal – second place2012Moscow Grand Slam
Silver medal – second place2011The Hague Open
Silver medal – second place2011PAF Open
Silver medal – second place2011Brasília Open
Silver medal – second place2006Paris Grand Slam
Silver medal – second place2006Italy Open
Silver medal – second place2005Acapulco Open
Silver medal – second place2003Stavanger Open
Bronze medal – third place2019Sydney Open
Bronze medal – third place2019Chetumal Open
Bronze medal – third place2016Xiamen Open
Bronze medal – third place2015Fuzhou Open
Bronze medal – third place2007Stavanger Grand Slam
Bronze medal – third place2006Phuket Open
Bronze medal – third place2006Brasília Open
Bronze medal – third place2004Stavanger Open
Bronze medal – third place2003Greece Open

Walsh Jennings and teammate Misty May-Treanor were the 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 various records throughout their partnership, including a win streak of 112 consecutive matches (19 consecutive tournament titles) in 2007–2008, breaking their own previous record of 89 consecutive match wins.[3] They have been called "the greatest beach volleyball team of all time."[4][5][3][6]

Early years

Walsh was born in Santa Clara, California, the daughter of Margery Lee (née Formico, Italian American[7]) and Timothy Joseph Walsh. Walsh grew up in Scotts Valley, six miles (9.7 km) north of Santa Cruz. She attended grade school there until the end of her middle school years. Before she started high school, her family moved to San Jose. Walsh attended Archbishop Mitty High School, competing on the volleyball and basketball teams. She led her school's teams to three state championships in volleyball, in 1993, 1994 and 1995. She also led her school's basketball team to a state championship in 1995. She was named Gatorade National High School Volleyball Player of the Year in 1996, the first time the award was given. Walsh was also the #1 volleyball athlete recruit in the nation her senior year (1995.) While in high school she competed against her future beach doubles partner, Misty May-Treanor.[8]

College

Walsh attended Stanford University on a volleyball scholarship. While there she was selected as a first-team All-American four years in a row, becoming only the second player in the history of collegiate volleyball to be chosen first team all four years of their collegiate careers.[9][10] While at Stanford her school's volleyball team won over 90% of its matches, posting a 122–11 overall record. The Cardinal won four Pac-10 titles and three times reached the NCAA Final Four, winning the title in 1996 and 1997, and falling to Penn State in the championship game in her senior year in 1999. She was selected as the MVP of the Final Four in 1996,[11] and was co-National Player of the Year in 1999.[12] She was also the first player in PAC-10 history to record over 1,500 kills (1,553), 1,200 digs (1,285) and 500 blocks (502). Walsh is considered to be one of the best all-around players in collegiate volleyball history.[13] She graduated from Stanford in 2001 with a B.A. in American studies.[14][15]

Professional career
Walsh (right) at Grand Slam Moscow, 2012

Walsh-Jennings plays professional beach volleyball on the U.S. AVP Tour and internationally on the FIVB World Tour. For most of her career she played with partner Misty May-Treanor, forming the most successful beach pairings in AVP history. May and Walsh formed a partnership on the beach circuit in 2001, finishing the season with the number five ranking in the world. In 2002 the team reached the number one ranking. They continued their dominance in 2003, winning all eight tournaments they entered and a then-record 90 straight matches, including the world championships where they upset defending world champions Brazil in the final.[16]

In 2008 May-Treanor and Walsh extended a winning streak to 112 matches before losing to Olympic teammates Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh in the AVP Crocs Cup Shootout in Ohio. To that point the pair had won 19 straight titles.[16]

Following the retirement of partner Misty May-Treanor in 2012, Walsh teamed with April Ross. She went on to break the career record for most wins by a female professional volleyball player when she won the FIVB Grand Slam in Xiamen, China. The win gave Walsh the 113th title of her career, breaking the old mark set by May-Treanor.[17] Walsh and Ross won 21–14, 17–21, 15–12 over the Brazilian pair of Taiana Lima and Talita Da Rocha Antunes. It was the Americans' third title in five events since joining forces.

World tour 2016

She played alongside partner April Ross at the Long Beach, California Grand Slam,[18] which is part of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour. The pair won all 3 matches, against Carolina Horta Maximo|Carol/Ana Patricia Silva Ramos|Ana Patrícia Brazil (21 - 17, 21 - 19), Humana-Paredes/Pischke Canada (21 - 16, 21 - 17), and Maria Antonelli/Lili Brazil (21 - 19, 18 - 21, 15 - 13).[19]

In semi final action (August 27, 2016) Walsh Jennings and Ross played against Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude of Germany and won in straight sets (21 - 17, 21 - 16). In the finals Walsh Jennings/Ross defeated Spain's Liliana Fernández Steiner and Elsa Baquerizo McMillan in straight sets (21–16, 21–16) to win the gold medal.[20]

Competing at the World Tour Finals in Toronto, playing in Pool A they are in 1st with a 2-0 and advance to quarter finals.

2017

In 2017, Walsh-Jennings announced she was not signing a new contract with AVP because of disagreements with the organization. Ross re-signed with the AVP. She and Walsh-Jennings ended their partnership.[21] Walsh-Jennings then reteamed with Nicole Branagh, with whom she briefly competed during May-Treanor's 2010 break from beach volleyball.[22]

2018-2019

In October 2018 Walsh-Jennings announces she would be partnering with Brooke Sweat in hopes of qualifying for the Tokyo Games in 2020. Brooke Sweat is a defensive specialist, she has won defensive player of the year on the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) tour four times. The pair failed to qualify for the games which were postponed until 2021.[23][24]

Olympic appearances

Sydney 2000

Walsh played in the 2000 Summer Olympics as an opposite hitter on the U.S. women's indoor team, earning a fourth-place finish.[25] She missed several of her first games due to a false positive on a drug test, which indicated a suspicious epitestosterone to testosterone ratio. After being retested, Walsh was cleared of any wrongdoing and allowed to continue playing.[26]

Athens 2004

At the 2004 Summer Olympics, Walsh and Misty May-Treanor won the gold medal in women's beach volleyball without losing a single set in all seven Olympic matches.

Beijing 2008
U.S. President George W. Bush visits Walsh Jennings and May-Treanor while at the 2008 Olympics.

On August 21, 2008, Walsh Jennings and May-Treanor repeated as Olympic gold medalists, defeating the first-seeded Chinese team in the final match (they would have been first-seeded, but home rule put them in the #2 spot with China as the #1). May-Treanor and Walsh did not lose a set in either of the past two Olympics. Their final match extended their unbeaten streak to 108 matches.

London 2012

Walsh and May-Treanor competed together for the last time in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. After first and second round wins, they continued their Olympic win streak of 32 consecutive sets without a loss until losing the first set of three to Austria in a preliminary round before ultimately winning the match, 17–21; 21–8; 15–10.[27] The pair faced China in the semi-finals, where they won a hard-fought victory over Xue Chen and Zhang Xi 22–20, 22–20 to reach the finals.[27] In an all USA final they defeated fellow Americans Jen Kessy and April Ross, 21–16, 21–16 to win the gold medal. The victory placed Walsh and May-Treanor as one of the few athletes to have won the gold medal in three consecutive Olympiads.

Rio de Janeiro 2016

Walsh-Jennings partnered with April Ross for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The pair reached the semi-finals, where they fell to Brazil's Ágatha Bednarczuk and Bárbara Seixas in two hard fought sets, (22-20, 21–18).[28] In the bronze medal match, Walsh-Jennings and Ross faced the number one ranked team of Larissa França/Talita Antunes from Brazil. This was the match many thought would be played for the gold medal, but Larissa and Talita had been upset in the semifinals by Germany's Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst, throwing the two top teams into the bronze medal match. Walsh-Jennings and Ross dropped the first set and were down by three in the second before coming back to win, 17–21, 21–17, 15–9. The bronze medal was Walsh-Jennings' fourth Olympic medal, making her the most decorated beach volleyball player–male or female–in Olympic history.[29]

Media appearances
Walsh with April Ross and John Kerry

In February 2006, Walsh Jennings had a guest-starring role in an episode of CSI: Miami along with several other AVP Volleyball players.[30]

Walsh Jennings hosts a weekly, one-hour radio show on Sirius Satellite Radio's Faction 28 station. It airs every Sunday at 9 AM Eastern time.

Walsh Jennings appeared in the Game Show Network television show Extreme Dodgeball. She was a member of the Detroit Spoilers, who lost all ten games they played.

Walsh Jennings also appeared alongside her volleyball partner Misty May-Treanor on the show Shaq Vs. in August 2009.

Walsh appeared in the ESPN The Magazine "Body Issue", with images taken both before and after giving birth to her third child.[31]

Walsh appeared in the twelfth season of Hell's Kitchen where she gave the team challenge winner a private volleyball lesson.

In 2015, Walsh Jennings and her husband appeared on Celebrity Wife Swap. She swapped places with Tami Roman from the television show Basketball Wives.

In the wake of the outbreak of COVID-19, Walsh has expressed disagreement with mask mandates resulting in criticism from those who believe such protests help the spread of the disease.[32]

Personal life

In 2005, Walsh married fellow American pro beach-volleyball player Casey Jennings.[33] They have three children, two sons and a daughter.[34] Walsh was five weeks pregnant during the 2012 London Summer Olympics.[35][36]

Walsh trained on the sand split between Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach in Los Angeles, California, and from 2002 did additional training in the gym at O.C. Fast-Twitch with trainer Tommy Knox.[37]

Awards and honors
Walsh (left) with Misty May-Treanor in 2005
  • AVP Best Offensive Player (2): 2003, 2014
  • AVP Crocs Cup Champion (3): 2006, 2007, 2008 (all with Misty May-Treanor)
  • AVP Most Valuable Player (2): 2003, 2004
  • AVP Team of the Year (8): 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 (with Misty May-Treanor), 2014, 2016 (with April Ross)
  • AVP Best Defensive Player (Blocker) (1): 2008
  • FIVB Best Blocker (7): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014
  • FIVB Best Hitter (5): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2012, 2016
  • FIVB Best Offensive Player (2): 2007, 2014
  • FIVB Most Outstanding (4): 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014
  • FIVB Sportsperson (5): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012
  • FIVB Tour Champion (1): 2002 (with Misty May-Treanor)[38]
  • Sportswoman of the Year Award (2): 2004 and 2006 (with Misty May-Treanor)[39]

Achievements
  • Most women's career tournament victories: 133[2]
  • Most women's career earnings: $2,561,635[2]
  • Record win streak of 112 consecutive matches and 19 straight tournaments that lasted from August 2007 to August 2008[40]

References
  1. "Kerri Walsh Jennings". teamusa.org. USOC. Archived from the original on October 14, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  2. "Career Leaders". Beach Volleyball Database. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  3. Dorfman, Blake (August 9, 2012). "Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh: Their Amazing Beach Volleyball Careers". Bleacher Report.
  4. Ackerman, Jon. "Best of 2000s: Team of the Decade – Misty May/Kerri Walsh". Universal Sports. Archived from the original on January 16, 2011. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  5. "Meet Team USA: Women's Beach Volleyball". Harpo Productions, Inc. Retrieved September 12, 2010.
  6. "Inductee Gallery: Misty May-Treanor". Volleyball Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
  7. Londra-72: Kerri e tutte la mamme all’Olimpiade gazzetta.it
  8. "Top U.S. athletes to watch at Beijing Games". ESPN. August 6, 2008. Retrieved August 13, 2008.
  9. "Kerri Walsh And Logan Tom Named To The USA Women's Volleyball National Training Team". January 19, 2000. Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
  10. "WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL ALL-AMERICA TEAMS AND AWARD WINNERS" (PDF). NCAA. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  11. "Top seeded Stanford beats Hawaii". Stanford.com. December 21, 1996. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
  12. "Bio: Kerri Walsh Jennings". Volleyball Magazine. Archived from the original on April 2, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
  13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on March 15, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  14. "Kerri Walsh Jennings". USA Volleyball. Archived from the original on October 14, 2014. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  15. "Olympic medals galore for the Cardinal". Stanford News. August 27, 2008. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  16. DiGiacomo, Paul. "Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
  17. "Kerri Walsh Jennings breaks record". October 28, 2013. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
  18. Team Profile
  19. "Main draw - Long Beach Grand Slam 2016". Worldtour.2016.fivb.com. FIVB.COM. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  20. Long Beach Grand Slam 2016 | 24 - 28 August 2016
  21. Payne, Marissa (May 5, 2017). "Olympic volleyball team of Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross breaks up over contract". Washington Post. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  22. Zaccardi, Nick (May 24, 2017). "Kerri Walsh Jennings' next partner is a familiar one". OlympicTalk. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  23. "And Kerri Walsh Jennings' new partner is …. beach star gets defensive". The Mercury News. October 9, 2018. Retrieved April 16, 2019.
  24. Golen, Jimmy (July 1, 2021). "Meet the Beach Volleyball Players Who Will Hit the Beach in Tokyo". NBC Los Angeles. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  25. "No. 3 Misty May-Treanor/Kerri Walsh (USA) vs. No. 7 Greta Cicolari Marta Menegatti". USA Volleyball. Archived from the original on January 21, 2019. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
  26. Eule, Brian (July–August 2004). "On to Athens". STANFORD Magazine. Archived from the original on February 21, 2008. Retrieved December 16, 2007.
  27. Pilon, Mary (August 7, 2012). "Defending Champs Advance to an All-U.S. Final". The New York Times. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  28. Auerbach, Nicole (August 17, 2016). "Kerri Walsh Jennings puts blame for Olympic semifinal loss on herself". USA Today. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  29. Waltemeyer, Carrie (August 17, 2016). "Kerri Walsh Jennings, April Ross beat Brazil for bronze". NBC Olympics. Retrieved August 18, 2016.
  30. IMDb Filmography
  31. AP Wire Service (June 25, 2013). "Colin Kaepernick, Kerri Walsh Jennings in ESPN 'Body Issue'". The Mercury News. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  32. people.com/sports/kerri-walsh-jennings-apologizes-after-making-anti-mask-statements-insists-freedoms-have-slowly-been-taken-from-us/%3famp=true
  33. Eliahou, Maya (August 10, 2016). "10 Things to Know About Beach Volleyball Star Kerri Walsh Jennings". E News. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  34. Leon, Anya (April 9, 2013). "Kerri Walsh Jennings: Why We Chose the Name Scout Margery". People. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  35. "Beach volleyball gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings: I was pregnant at the Olympics". Today.com. September 24, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2012.
  36. "Volleyballer Kerri Walsh Jennings pregnant at Olympics". USA Today. September 24, 2012. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
  37. Klinck, Amber. "Six Feet of Sunshine". Terranea Life. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  38. "Bio Kerri Walsh Jennings". Beach Volleyball Database. Archived from the original on March 15, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2016.
  39. "Sportswoman of the Year Award". Women's Sports Foundation. Archived from the original on July 22, 2009. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
  40. "Record streak snapped: May-Treanor, Walsh fall in Ohio". USA Today. August 31, 2008.
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