Karch Kiraly

Again partnered with Steffes in 1994, Kiraly won 17 of 22 tournaments, including all three Jose Cuervos and the U.S. Championship. He was forced to skip the Manhattan Open because of an injury. For the year, Kiraly's earnings totaled $430,636, and he was voted the AVP's Best Offensive Player of 1994. he piled up 12 open wins in 1995, four of them with Steffes and eight with Scott Ayakatubby, on his way to total winnings of $392,610 for the year. Playing with Steffes, he also won the 1995 FIVB exhibition in Curacao. In winning the 1995 Miller Lite Cup, Kiraly became the first beach volleyball player to reach $2 million in career earnings. For the fifth time, he was voted MVP by the AVP, and he also was given the AVP Sportsman of the Year Award, an honor voted by his peers.

Paired once again with longtime partner Steffes, Kiraly won gold in the inaugural beach volleyball competition at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. In all, he compiled 11 open wins with Steffes in 1996. Kept out of competition for much of 1997 by shoulder surgery, Kiraly came back to the game late in the season, winning a total of four tournaments. He once again was named AVP Sportsman of the Year and also received the AVP's Comeback Player Award. Paired with Adam Johnson in 1998, Kiraly won four tournaments and came in second at the 1998 Goodwill Games.