Karch Kiraly - Leads Us Team To 5 Gold Medals

Over the next three years, Kiraly led the U.S.A. National Team to a total of five gold medals and one silver medal. During the World Championship in 1986, he was named "world's best volleyball player" by FIVB President Ruben Acosta. In December of 1986, Kiraly married Janna Miller, with whom he has two sons, Kristian and Kory. In 1988 he again led the U.S. team to Olympic gold. With 137 kills, 16 block stuffs, 15 block assists, and a kill percentage of 60 percent, Kiraly was voted MVP of the 1988 Olympics volleyball competition.

While leading the U.S.A. National Team to glory throughout much of the 1980s, Kiraly was also involved in beach volleyball, having gone professional in 1983. However, it was not until the 1990s that he truly began to shine in beach competition. In 1991 Kiraly compiled six open wins, a number he almost tripled the following year when he put together a total of 16 open wins, scoring 13 of those wins consecutively. His partner for much of the 1990s was Kent Steffes. The two first played together in 1991 and continued as partners off and on through 1996, compiling a total of 76 titles together. In 1993 Kiraly and Steffes won 18 of 20 tournaments, including three Jose Cuervo tourneys, the Manhattan Open, and the U.S. Championship. The two also won the Miller Lite Grand Prix.