Who is Misty May-Treanor? Everything you need to know about the retired beach volleyball player

Who is Misty May-Treanor? Everything you need to know about the retired beach volleyball player

Helix Odhiambo
updated at November 26, 2023 at 10:25 AM

America's Misty May-Treanor made a name for herself in beach volleyball after transitioning from indoor games. She spent 13 years as a professional payer, breaking records and winning titles in beach competitions. So, who is Misty May-Treanor? Is she married? Read on to find out.

Misty May-Treanor's age
Misty May-Treanor of the USA celebrates winning the Women's Beach Volleyball gold medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Horse Guard's Parade on 8 August 2012 in England. Photo: Cameron Spencer
Source: Getty Images

Misty enjoyed an illustrious career that saw her win three Olympic gold medals. She formed one of the best sports partnerships with Kerri Walsh Jennings. This article highlights May-Treanor's life history, career, net worth, and what she is doing now.

Misty May-Treanor's profile summary

Full name

Misty Elizabeth May-Treanor

Date of birth

30 July 1977

Age

46 (as of November 2023)

Birthplace

Los Angeles, California, United States

Nationality

American

Height

1.75 m (5'7")

Weight

72 kg (158 lbs)

College

Long Beach State University, Concordia University Irvine

Profession

Former beach volleyball player

Parents

Butch May, Barbara May

Siblings

Brack, Scott

Husband

Matt Treanor

Children

Malia Barbara, Mele Elizarin, Mia Kanoelani

Net worth (2023)

$6 million

Social media

Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter)

How old is Misty May-Treanor?

Beach volleyball legend Misty May-Treanor (age 46 as of October 2023) was born on 30 July 1977 in Los Angeles, California.

Who is Misty May-Treanor?

How old is Misty May-Treanor?
Misty May-Treanor was inducted into the Wall of Champions in 2018 following her achievements in beach volleyball. Photo: Joe Scarnici, Daniel Boczarski, Jamie Schwaberow (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Misty is a retired beach volleyball player. She was a dominant and versatile player known for forming a dominant partnership with Kerri Walsh Jennings in beach volleyball.

Misty May-Treanor's height and weight

May-Treanor has a decent height of a volleyball player. She measures 1.75 m or 5 feet 9 inches and weighs 72 kg (158 lbs).

Misty May-Treanor's family

The legendary athlete hails from a sporting family. Her father, Butch May, was a member of the 1968 US Men's national volleyball team, while her mother, Barbara, played tennis at Cal State Los Angeles. She has two siblings, Brack and Scott.

May-Treanor grew up with alcoholic parents who would turn violent when drunk, forcing her to leave with her grandmother. Misty's father even served a jail term for drunk driving. Her mother died of cancer in 2002.

Education background

The legendary volleyball player attended Newport Harbor High School before enrolling at Long Beach State University in California. She later studied at Concordia University Irvine, graduating with a master's in coaching and athletic administration in 2013.

May-Treanor's career

Misty May-Treanor's achievements
Olympic Gold Medalist Misty May-Treanor plays beach volleyball for AT&T's "My Journey" sweepstakes on 22 October 2012 in Huntington Beach, California. Photo: Jerod Harris
Source: Getty Images

Butch's daughter played indoor volleyball in college before transitioning to beach games. Here is a look at Misty May-Treanor's achievements during her illustrious career.

Early career

Misty helped her team, the Long Beach State 49ers side, win two NCAA championships. As a result, she won the American Volleyball Coaches Association Player of the Year awards in 1997 and 1998. She also won the 1997-98 Honda-Broderick Cup and emerged as the best female collegiate athlete in all sports in the United States.

Senior career

After graduation, the beach volleyball legend turned professional and began competing on the AVP tour. She first paired with Holly McPeak in 1999 and 2000, winning three titles and four silvers in 11 FIVB events. The two also partnered in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, finishing fifth place.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings
Gold medallists Misty May-Treanor (L) and Kerri Walsh Jennings celebrate during the Women's Beach Volleyball medal ceremony at the London 2012 Olympic Games on 8 August 2012. Photo: Cameron Spencer
Source: Getty Images

The duo teamed up after the 2000 Olympics, where Kerri represented the US Women's Indoor Volleyball Team. They won three straight FIVB World Championships in 2005, 2007 and 2009.

May bagged three FIVB Best Offensive Player awards (2005, 2007, and 2008) and two FIVB Best Defensive Player accolades (2007, 2008). She also won Sportsperson of the Year in 2007 and 2008.

Olympic Games

Misty May-Treanor's partnership with Kerri also dominated the Olympic Games. They won three gold medals (2004, 2008, 2012) and registered 21 consecutive victories, losing only one set in the three tournaments.

AVP Tour

Misty May-Treanor's accomplishments in the US AVP Tour include winning the Best Offensive Player award 11 times and the Best Defensive Player award seven times. She bagged the Most Valuable Player award four times and was part of Team of the Year six times.

When did Misty May retire?

When did Misty May retire?
Chen Xue (L) of China blocks Misty May-Treanor (R) of the United States during the Women's Beach Volleyball semi-final match at the London 2012 Olympic Games at Horse Guards Parade. Photo: Ryan Pierse
Source: Getty Images

May retired in 2012, finishing her career with 112 victories, including 43 international titles. She won 69 domestic titles, reaching the podium in 93 out of 100 tournaments. She was also inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2016.

What is Misty May-Treanor doing now?

Treanor has remained active in volleyball since retiring. She served as the Director of Volleyball Operations at Long Beach College between 2016-2020. Misty also joined the AVP Beach Volleyball Tour broadcast team in July 2020. She is also involved in community projects, giving back to the society.

Misty May-Treanor's quotes and book

Misty May-Treanor's accomplishments
Misty May-Treanor during the promotion of her book, "Misty: Digging Deep in Volleyball and Life" at Borders Wall Street on 22 June 2010 in New York City. Photo: Ben Hider
Source: Getty Images

The American celebrity is known for her dozens of motivational speeches and quotes. In 2010, she released her book, Misty: My Journey Through Volleyball and Life, recounting her life history and career journey.

"Have a dream and really have the passion for what you're doing. " May-Treanor once said.

Film career

Was Misty May-Treanor in Wizards of Waverly Place? The volleyball legend has made a few TV appearances, including in the episodes of Wizards of Waverly Place (2009). She is also known for Take Point (2018), Boundless: Betty Skelton (2022), and Eve (2003).

Misty May-Treanor's net worth

Where does Misty May-Treanor live now?
Misty May-Treanor speaks at the US Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Induction Ceremony on 1 November 2019 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Photo: Jamie Schwaberow
Source: Getty Images

The three-time Olympic gold medalist has a net worth of $6 million as of 2023. She earned over $2.1 million during her career.

Interesting facts about Misty May-Treanor

Misty left an indelible mark on beach volleyball. Her success has inspired many young women in sports. Discover other fascinating details about her.

Who is Misty May-Treanor's husband?

May-Treanor married Matt Treanor in 2004. Matt is a former baseball catcher in Major League Baseball. He was born on 3 March 1976, in Garden Grove, California. Treanor played for five teams in his MLB career.

Does Misty May-Treanor have a child?

The former volleyball player has three daughters with her husband, Matt. They welcomed their firstborn, Malia Barbara, in June 2014. Misty gave birth to twins Mele Elizarin and Mia Kanoelani on 9 November 2017.

Where does Misty May-Treanor live now?

May lives in her Long Beach house in California with her husband and three daughters. She bought the house after turning professional.

Social media

Matt's wife has 33.6k followers on Instagram and 593k followers on Facebook as of November 2023. Her X (Twitter) account has 144k followers.

Who is Misty May-Treanor? The mother of three is known for her impact on beach volleyball. She rose from humble beginnings in Southern California to an Olympic gold medalist and world record holder.

READ ALSO: Meet Brian Onyango, the Kenyan defender who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns

Sports Brief recently featured Kenyan football defender Brian Onyango, who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns in the DStv Premiership. Brian was born in Nairobi, Kenya, where he began nurturing his talent.

Before leaving Kenya, Onyango played for Posta Rangers and Tusker FC in the Kenya Premier League. Follow the above link to read more about the sensational defender.

Authors
Helix Odhiambo photo
Helix Odhiambo
Helix Odhiambo is an award-winning Kenyan journalist and content creator with over 6 years of experience. In 2016, he won the Goal Blaze Correspondent Award for young writers.
Tags
World