“USA, USA, USA,” the crowd chanted outside the Walter Pyramid as beach-volleyball star athlete Misty May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh-Jennings celebrated the start of their journey to London for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
“I’m honored to have this send-off,” May-Treanor said. “It didn’t happen the last time, so it really means a lot to have the community support, especially when you’re doing something that will go down in history.”
A crowd of approximately 150 people overfilled the seats at the send-off, forcing some attendees to stand around the sides of the event as May-Treanor and Walsh-Jennings thanked their fans for the support.
Many girls participating in the volleyball camp inside the Walter Pyramid attended the send-off, watching with excitement as the two Olympians spoke.
Other attendees of the send-off included Mike and Arline Walter, who were given the honor of having the Walter Pyramid renamed after them in 2005 after they provided a generous donation of $2.1 million to the university.
Growing up in Costa Mesa, Calif., May-Treanor said she recalls the Summer Olympics as being the highlight of her summer.
“I can go back to when we had the red, white and blue channel … that was always a highlight to just sit back and watch all the competitors,” May-Treanor said, “I don’t know if I saw myself as an Olympian at that point, but it was always fun to watch the athletes compete and all the amazing records that were set.”
May-Treanor played volleyball for the Long Beach State 49ers from 1995-99. With May-Treanor leading as team captain, the 49ers became the first women’s National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) volleyball team to have an undefeated season in 1998.
The 34-year-old, three-time gold medalist, graduated from Cal State Long Beach in 2004, the same year she was inducted into the LBSU Hall of Fame.
May-Treanor and Walsh-Jennings also made their first appearance in the Summer Olympics that year, taking home the gold after defeating Brazil in the finals.
From setting a first-time record in 1998 with the 49ers, May-Treanor and Walsh-Jennings set a first-time record in the 2008 Olympics as they became the first and only beach volleyball team to repeat as gold medalists thus far.
May-Treanor said she and Walsh-Jennings work well together and that their relationship was more than just volleyball.
“I can’t think of a better partner to have … to begin this journey and to end this journey with Kerri Walsh-Jennings,” May-Treanor said. “I mean, her accolades speak for itself.”
Growing up, Walsh-Jennings said she saw May-Treanor as her volleyball idol.
“She was my Michael Jordan, and she still is my Michael Jordan,” Walsh-Jennings said.
Walsh-Jennings said the send-off in front of the Walter Pyramid was a fitting way for May-Treanor to go off to London because the two could see the support from the community and their fans.
May-Treanor said she can talk about being an Olympic champion, but ultimately, the feeling is indescribable.
“Once an Olympian, always an Olympian,” she said. “Once a champion, always a champion. No one can take that away from us.”
The champions begin their journey July 28 in a face-off against Australia.