Professional beach volleyball player Kerri Walsh won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. Four years later, she competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, where she and her volleyball partner, Misty May-Treanor, defeated the Chinese team in the final match to become the first beach volleyball team to win back-to-back gold medals.NBC Olympics: Kerri Walsh
Celebrity Baby Blog reported that Walsh and husband Casey Jennings welcomed a baby boy, Joseph Michael, on May 22, 2009. He weighed 8 lbs., 10 oz. and was born in a Los Angeles hospital.Celebrity Baby Blog: Kerri Walsh Welcomes Son Joseph Michael (May 1, 2009)
Pregnancy
People Magazine reported on December 4, 2008, that Walsh and Jennings were expecting their first child. The baby was due in the spring of 2009. Walsh made the following comment about her pregnancy, "I'm chubby and I'm pregnant and it's awesome! We believe we conceived our last days in Beijing, so I think a day or two after we won gold medal." Walsh added this comment about the sex of the baby, "We have a feeling it's a boy, but we're going to find out the traditional way."People: Walsh Expecting Her First Child (December 4, 2008) It was later announced that Walsh was indeed having a baby boy.People: Pregnant Kerri Walsh Reveals the Sex of Her Baby (May 1, 2009)
Walsh gave birth to Joseph Michael on May 22, 2009.
Volleyball Career
Prior to playing professionally, Walsh played volleyball at Stanford University. She earned several awards at Stanford including the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Mountain Regional Most Valuable Player in 1997 and the Pac-10 Player of the Year in 1998.GoStanford.com: Kerri Walsh Walsh was selected for her first Olympic appearance in 2000, when she played with the women's indoor volleyball team at the Summer Games in Sydney, Australia. She joined the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) in 2001 and won the FIVB Tour Championship in 2002 with partner Misty May-Treanor. Walsh joined the Association of Volleyball Professionals in 2003 and was named the league's Moust Valuable Player in 2003 and 2004. The team of May-Treanor and Walsh was selected as the AVP Team of the Year from 2003 through 2007. They teamed up to represent the United States at the 2004 Summer Olympics, taking home the gold medal for beach volleyball. Walsh has also earned many individual awards including the AVP Best Offensive Player, FIVB Best Blocker, Best Hitter and Top Sportsperson.Beach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
Career Highlights
- 1996: National Freshman of the YearGoStanford.com: Kerri Walsh
- 1997: NCAA Mountain Regional Most Valuable PlayerGoStanford.com: Kerri Walsh
- 1998: Pac-10 Player of the YearGoStanford.com: Kerri Walsh
- 2002: FIVB Tour ChampionBeach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
- 2003: AVP Best Offensive Player, MVPBeach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
- 2003: AVP Team of the YearBeach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
- 2004: AVP MVPBeach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
- 2004: AVP Team of the YearBeach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
- 2004: Olympic gold medal and MVP - beach volleyballNBC Olympics: Kerri Walsh
- 2005: FIVB Best Blocker, Best Hitter, Top SportspersonBeach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
- 2005: AVP Team of the YearBeach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
- 2006: FIVB Best Blocker, Best Hitter, Top SportspersonBeach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
- 2006: AVP Crocs Cup Champion, AVP Team of the YearBeach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
- 2007: FIVB Best Blocker, Best Hitter, Best Offensive Player, Most Outstanding Player, Top SportspersonBeach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
- 2007: Crocs Cup Champion, AVP AVP Team of the YearBeach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
- 2008: Summer Olympics - gold medalNBC Olympics: Women's Gold-Medal Match
Timeline
- 2000: Summer Olympics - indoor volleyballNBC Olympics: Kerri Walsh
- 2001-present: FIVBBeach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
- 2003-present: AVP Beach TourBeach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
- 2004: Summer Olympics - beach volleyballNBC Olympics: Kerri Walsh
- 2005: Married Casey JenningsBeach Volleyball Database: Kerri Walsh
- 2008: Summer Olympics - beach volleyballNBC Olympics: Kerri Walsh
Kerri Walsh Vital Stats
- Height: 6'2"
- Weight: 155 lbs
- Hometown: Saratoga, California
- College: Stanford University