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B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Communications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 18, 2012) – Misty May-Treanor (Santa Monica, Calif.) has been named the USA Volleyball Female Athlete of the Year for beach volleyball.
May-Treanor, 35, and partner Kerri Walsh Jennings (Saratoga, Calif.) won their third straight Olympic gold medal in London in 2012, making it through the competition with only one lost set. In the final, they defeated compatriots Jennifer Kessy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) and April Ross (Costa Mesa, Calif.), 21-16, 21-16 in 36 minutes at Horse Guards Parade.
“I still feel like somebody pinch me that this just happened,” May-Treanor said immediately following the gold medal victory. “We’ve been walking around the stadium saying it feels like an out-of-body experience.
“This was about the experience, the friendship, the journey and volleyball was just a small part of it.”
May-Treanor led all Olympic beach volleyball players in digs in London with 107 on 225 attempts (15 sets) for a .48 success percentage. She was second among all players in scoring with 125 points on 120 kills, one block and four aces
May-Treanor and Walsh also won one 2012 FIVB Grand Slam in Gstaad, Switzerland and finished second at the FIVB Grand Slam in Moscow.
The team finished the season ranked 11th on the FIVB World Tour after struggling in some of the early tournaments of 2012, including ninth-place finishes in Beijing and Shanghai. May-Treanor and Walsh credit sports psychologist Michael Gervais with helping them get back in sync.
"It's important that we're all on the same page. It's been a process," May-Treanor said.
The FIVB named May-Treanor its Most Inspirational Player of 2012, an honor she shared with Walsh Jennings.
May-Treanor did not compete domestically in 2012. She is ranked fourth in the USA Volleyball beach rankings.
May-Treanor, who is married to pro baseball player Matt Treanor, has not competed in beach volleyball since the Olympic Games and has said in interviews that she is retiring to coach volleyball and start a family.