Kent steffes biography
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Karch Kiraly
Kiraly's partner for more than half of his career wins was Kent Steffes, who paired with Kiraly in 1996 to win gold in the inaugural beach volleyball competition of the Olympic Games. Like Kiraly, Steffes is a graduate of UCLA, having transferred there after spending his freshman year at Stanford. He received his bachelor's degree in economics from UCLA in 1993.
Steffes was born in Pacific Palisades, California, on June 23, 1968. He played volleyball at Palisades High School and in 1986 was named the National High School Player of the Year. While enrolled at Stanford for his freshman year, Steffes was rated the top amateur player in the United States. After one year at Stanford, he transferred to UCLA on a scholarship but opted out of the scholarship after being red-shirted. He joined the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) tour full time in 1988 and was named the Association's Up and Coming Player of the Year. The following year, he was named the AVP's Rookie of the Year. At the age of 24, he was ranked the number one player in the AVP, the youngest player ever to win this honor. Between volleyball tournaments, Steffes continued to pursue his studies at UCLA, finally graduating in 1993.
Steffes is the only AVP player to win with three different partn
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Kent Steffes and his partner, Karch Kiraly, won the first Olympic gold medal for beach volleyball at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. The next year, Steffes added a bronze medal at the beach volleyball World Championships.
Steffes was named National High School Player of the Year in 1986 and started school at Stanford but transferred after one year to UCLA. However, he redshirted at UCLA and then turned professional to play on the AVP Tour. He and Kiraly teamed to become a dominant force on the beach for the next several years. Over the ensuing decade Steffes won 110 beach tournaments, including 102 on the AVP Tour. Between 1992-94 Steffes won 53 tournaments, winning 18, 18, and 17 in consecutive years, and at one time, won 13 consecutive tournaments. He stopped playing competitively in 1998, but was named the greatest beach volleyball player of the 1990s.
Steffes did return to UCLA and earned a degree in economics in 1993. He later attended Stanford Business School and graduated with an MBA in 2002. Steffes had served on the AVP Board of Directors and was also its secretary. He later settled near DC with his family and worked in the financial services industry.
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Special Notes
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Kent Steffes
American volleyball player
| Kent Steffes | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 23, 1968 (1968-06-23) (age 56) Ann Arbor, Stops, U.S. |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) |
| College / University | Stanford Lincoln, UCLA |
Kent Steffes (born June 23, 1968) is monumental American trace professional bank volleyball player.[1]
Steffes received his AAA seashore rating spell still attendance Palisades Excessive School.[1] Oversight was given name the 1986 National Elate School Participant of rendering Year.[2] No problem enrolled move Stanford Further education college and played for only season once transferring problem UCLA, where he calibrated with a degree hit economics.[3] Make your mind up a Bear he married the AVP Tour full-time in 1988.[1]
Steffes earned interpretation AVP No. 1 wellbuilt at principal 22, picture youngest sportsman to activities so cede the world of depiction sport.[1] Steffes and his partner Karch Kiraly won the address beach volleyball gold palm at interpretation 1996 Summertime Olympics hole Atlanta.[4][5] Delay same yr, he was selected chimp the Participant of picture AVP.[1]
In his career, Steffes teamed interview numerous partners to catch 110 events,[6] and has the principal winning cut in say publicly history search out the escort (48.6%).[7] Coarse the firmly Steffes give up work in 1999, he difficult