Holly McPeak
Encyclopedia
Holly McPeak is an American
beach volleyball
player.
McPeak has 72 career beach volleyball titles and $1.4 million USD in career earnings, which are third (behind Misty May-Treanor
and Kerri Walsh
) and second (behind May-Treanor) respectively of any woman in the history of professional beach volleyball. She also won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics
with partner Elaine Youngs
. McPeak, at 5 feet 7 inches, is considered short for beach volleyball, which makes her success all the more remarkable.
out of Mira Costa High School
, where she was teammates with her Mira Costa classmate and future beach partner Lisa Arce
. At Cal, she was named National Freshman of the Year in 1987, before transferring to UCLA in 1990.
In 1990, she helped the UCLA Bruins
to a national championship, the school's fifth of six titles.
At the 1996 Summer Olympics
, McPeak partnered with Nancy Reno
and did not win a medal despite high expectations. Team conflict is often cited as a cause of this, and McPeak's breast enlargement surgery -- earning her the nickname of "Twin Peaks" -- has been cited as a potential cause of this conflict.
At the 2000 Summer Olympics
, McPeak partnered with Misty May-Treanor and finished in fifth place.
for the 2006 season. After Branagh left to partner with Elaine Youngs
, McPeak partnered with indoor volleyball player Logan Tom
for the 2007 AVP season. She then partnered with Angie Akers.
McPeak was planning to retire after the 2008 AVP season, but decided to continue for the 2009 season. After three-straight ninth-place finishes in her first three AVP events of the season, she retired for good on May 6, 2009, a week shy of her 40th birthday.
Since retiring from beach volleyball, McPeak works as a color commentator for Pac-10 volleyball shown on Fox Sports West, including most televised games of UCLA.
on October 30, 2009.
At UCLA, she was named to the All-NCAA Tournament Team following the '90 championship run, also earning All-Pacific Region and All-Pacific-10 first-team honors.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
beach volleyball
Beach volleyball
Beach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....
player.
McPeak has 72 career beach volleyball titles and $1.4 million USD in career earnings, which are third (behind Misty May-Treanor
Misty May-Treanor
Misty Erie May-Treanor is an American professional volleyball player. She has won more tournaments than any other female player with 107 career wins....
and Kerri Walsh
Kerri Walsh
Kerri Lee Walsh-Jennings is an American professional beach volleyball player.Walsh-Jennings and teammate Misty May-Treanor were the gold medalists in beach volleyball at both the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics...
) and second (behind May-Treanor) respectively of any woman in the history of professional beach volleyball. She also won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
with partner Elaine Youngs
Elaine Youngs
Elaine Youngs is an American beach volleyball player.As of 2010, Youngs has won 51 professional beach volleyball tournaments in her career. In addition, she won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics with teammate Holly McPeak. In 2002, she was named MVP of the AVP.Youngs graduated from UCLA...
. McPeak, at 5 feet 7 inches, is considered short for beach volleyball, which makes her success all the more remarkable.
College and Olympics
McPeak signed with the California Golden BearsCalifornia Golden Bears
The California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
out of Mira Costa High School
Mira Costa High School
Mira Costa High School is a four-year public high school located in Manhattan Beach, California, United States that first began operating in 1950. It is the only high school in the Manhattan Beach Unified School District...
, where she was teammates with her Mira Costa classmate and future beach partner Lisa Arce
Lisa Arce
Lisa Arce Zimmerman is a retired female beach volleyball player from the United States, who won the silver medal at the 1997 World Championships in Los Angeles, California, partnering with her former college teammate Holly McPeak.-References:*...
. At Cal, she was named National Freshman of the Year in 1987, before transferring to UCLA in 1990.
In 1990, she helped the UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
to a national championship, the school's fifth of six titles.
At the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
, McPeak partnered with Nancy Reno
Nancy Reno
Nancy Reno is a retired female beach volleyball player from the United States, who won the bronze medal at the 1997 World Championships in Los Angeles, California, partnering Karolyn Kirby...
and did not win a medal despite high expectations. Team conflict is often cited as a cause of this, and McPeak's breast enlargement surgery -- earning her the nickname of "Twin Peaks" -- has been cited as a potential cause of this conflict.
At the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, McPeak partnered with Misty May-Treanor and finished in fifth place.
Professional career
During the 2005 season, McPeak teamed up with Jennifer Kessy (now known as Jennifer Boss) and with Nicole BranaghNicole Branagh
Nicole Branagh is an American volleyball player. She played internationally for the US National team in indoor play and is currently playing beach volleyball professionally....
for the 2006 season. After Branagh left to partner with Elaine Youngs
Elaine Youngs
Elaine Youngs is an American beach volleyball player.As of 2010, Youngs has won 51 professional beach volleyball tournaments in her career. In addition, she won a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics with teammate Holly McPeak. In 2002, she was named MVP of the AVP.Youngs graduated from UCLA...
, McPeak partnered with indoor volleyball player Logan Tom
Logan Tom
Logan Maile Lei Tom is an American indoor volleyball and beach volleyball player who plays for Fenerbahçe Universal. At age 19, Tom made her Olympic debut at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. She also competed at the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Olympics...
for the 2007 AVP season. She then partnered with Angie Akers.
McPeak was planning to retire after the 2008 AVP season, but decided to continue for the 2009 season. After three-straight ninth-place finishes in her first three AVP events of the season, she retired for good on May 6, 2009, a week shy of her 40th birthday.
Since retiring from beach volleyball, McPeak works as a color commentator for Pac-10 volleyball shown on Fox Sports West, including most televised games of UCLA.
Awards and honors
McPeak was inducted into Volleyball Hall of FameVolleyball Hall of Fame
The Volleyball Hall of Fame was founded to honor extraordinary players, coaches, officials, and leaders who have made significant contributions to the game of volleyball. The hall is located in Holyoke, Massachusetts, where volleyball was invented in 1895 by William G...
on October 30, 2009.
At UCLA, she was named to the All-NCAA Tournament Team following the '90 championship run, also earning All-Pacific Region and All-Pacific-10 first-team honors.