November 16, 2004

U S Volleyball
Volleyball: U.S. Olympic Committee Honors May and Walsh as "USOC
Team of October"

For Immediate Release
Nov. 15, 2004

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic Committee has
named beach volleyball stars Misty May and Kerri Walsh as its
October "USOC Team of the Month" for the second year in a row.

May (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and Walsh (Saratoga, Calif.), the 2004
Olympic gold medalists, capped an incredible year with a memorable
month of October.

On Oct. 17, the duo won the season finale on the AVP Pro Beach
Volleyball tour, the Santa Barbara Invitational, with a 14-21, 21-
14, 15-13 decision over Olympic bronze medalists Holly McPeak
(Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and Elaine Youngs (El Toro, Calif.) to
finish the tournament with a 5-0-match record. In the process, May
and Walsh became the winningest women's team in the history of the
sport—in just their fourth season—by posting their 31st tournament
victory together.

On Oct. 18, May and Walsh were honored by the Women's Sports
Foundation as the 2004 Sportswoman Team of the Year in New York
City. On Oct. 30, May and Walsh captured Association of Volleyball
Professionals (AVP) Team of the Year honors for the second-straight
year. Walsh also earned her second-straight AVP Most Valuable
Player award, while May was announced as the AVP's Best Offensive
Player.

The USOC also recognized women's swimmer Kaitlin Sandeno and men's
swimmer Brendan Hansen as the October Athletes of the Month.

Sandeno (Lake Forest, Calif.) won four gold medals at the FINA Short
Course World Championships in Indianapolis, Ind., Oct. 7-11,
capturing three of the four gold medals on the first day of
competition.

Hansen (Havertown, Pa.) was named Male Swimmer of the Meet at the
FINA Short Course World Championships after sweeping the three
breaststroke events and claiming gold in the world record-breaking
400m medley relay.

USOC Athlete and Team of the Month Results

Women



1. Kaitlin Sandeno, Swimming—48 points (11 first-place votes)

2. Ronda Rousey, Judo—34 (6)

3. Alicia Hollowell, Softball—32 (6)

Also receiving first-place votes: Angela Nikodinov, Figure Skating



Men



1. Brendan Hansen, Swimming—53 points (13 first-place votes)

2. Boyd Melson, Boxing—22 (1)

2. Bode Miller, Skiing—22 (3)

Also receiving first place votes: Matt Emmons, Shooting; Chris Bono,
Wrestling



Team



1. USA Women's Beach Volleyball Team—46 points (9 first-place votes)

2. USA Softball Elite Team—43 (9)

3. U.S. Wakeboard Team—29 (3)

Also receiving first-place votes: Women's Squash Team; Figure
Skating's Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto



________________________________________
Paul Soriano

Manager, Media Relations & Publications

USA Volleyball