Veteran Tammy Leibl has secured a legacy as a pioneer in the sport and continues to be counted among the games most popular stars. Her professional career has covered a span of 20 years and three Olympics in which time she has seen the sport explode in popularity in the United States.

An exceptional all-around athlete growing up in Huntington Beach, Calif., Leibl was voted to Volleyball Monthly’s “All-Time Fab 50 Elite” after a stellar high school career. The 5’11” standout was heavily recruited and accepted a scholarship to Arizona State University where she amassed an impressive list of personal accolades including All-America and All-Pac-10 Conference honors as a junior and senior and a nomination of Pac-10 Female Athlete of the Decade. She was inducted into the Arizona State University Hall of Fame in 1996 and remains as the all-time leader in solo blocks.

Following her senior season, Leibl earned a spot on the U.S. National team and competed in the 1988 Seoul, Korea Olympic Games, beginning what would be a remarkable, ten-year career as a U.S. Women’s Volleyball team member, twice receiving the Coaches Award and in 1993, Most Valuable Player honors as well as USOC Female Volleyball Athlete of the Year. Leibl also proudly served as Team Captain from 1993-1996. She also became the first American woman to play in 400 International matches.

Leibl began her beach volleyball career in four on four matches with the Pro Beach Volleyball Tour and earned All-League status in each of her two seasons. She then competed in Europe, playing with top teams in Italy and Brazil before returning to the U.S. in 2004 to begin her partnership with Dianne DeNecochea. She was proud to receive the “Rookie of the Year” award in her first AVP season despite being the tour’s oldest player at 39. Leibl and DeNecochea had 16 top-five finishes in 22 events since the middle of the 2005 season.

Currently coached by the legendary Angela Rock, Leibl and her husband Geoff are the proud parents of two young sons and make their home in Del Mar, Calif. In her very rare free time, Leibl enjoys spending time with her family and relaxing with Oprah and Grey’s Anatomy.

• AVP Rookie of the Year 2004