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Jennifer Kessy has competed for USA Jennifer Kessy has won 1 silver medal at the Olympic Games 


Jennifer "Jen" Anne Kessy (born July 31, 1977) is an American professional beach volleyball player on the Nivea AVP Tour. She recently competed in the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Early years[]

Growing up in Southern California, Jen excelled at multiple sports. In high school, she was the MVP of the swim team her junior year and the Captain and MVP of the volleyball team her senior year, earning honors as an All-California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) second team. In 1994, she graduated from Dana Hills High School at Dana Point, California.

College[]

Kessy continued her athletic excellence while attending the University of Southern California (USC). She was a member of the volleyball team for all four years (1995–1998) and was named All-American her senior year. Also, she was a member of the U.S. Junior National Team. Jen graduated from USC with a bachelor's degree in history. Kessy was also a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.

Professional career[]

Signing a six month contract for about $25,000, Jen played indoors professionally under coaches Gido Vermeulen (head, The Netherlands) and Christine Masel (assistant, DePaul University & University of Illinois) for the Chicago Thunder who finished runner-up (10-8) in the USPV in 2002. In November 2002 with the collapse of the USPV, she signed with Pinkin de Corozal at Humacao, Puerto Rico for the 2003 season and finished 6th overall for points in the LVSF.

Kessy competed with Olympian Barbra Fontana in 2004 and Olympic Bronze Medalist and three-time Olympian Holly McPeak in 2005.

Teaming up with fellow USC Trojan April Ross in 2007, the tandem has become one of the most successful duos in the world. On July 4, 2009, Kessy and Ross won the FIVB World Championships in Stavanger, Norway defeating Brazilians Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca.

As of April 2012, Kessy has ten AVP and nine FIVB 1st place finishes overall, as well as over $1,223,635 in total prize money.

In the spring of 2012, Jen signed as a CoverGirl for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

In the 2012 London Olympics Kessy and Ross won the silver medal, when they lost to their country's Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh-Jennings in the final by 16-21, 16-21.

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