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Holly McPeak Celebrates National Girls and Women in Sports Day

The three-time Olympian shared that she is ‘grateful for the lessons learned.’

Cara O’Bleness

Holly McPeak

Holly McPeak.

Retired beach volleyball player Holly McPeak made her debut as a pro athlete in 1987 at the age of 18. The three-time Olympian won 72 pro titles throughout her career, and she retired from her sport in 2009, just before her 40th birthday.

It’s safe to say McPeak is an icon in the sports world. In ’02, she became the first female athlete worldwide to surpass $1 million in career earnings. Today, she’s a TV analyst for ESPN and the owner of Elite Beach Volleyball, a California-based training program.

The one-time SI Swimsuit model shared an inspiring Instagram post on Feb. 1, in which she called out National Girls and Women in Sports Day, which is celebrated annually in February.

“Happy National Girls and Women in Sports day!!! Grateful for the lessons learned and the incredible opportunities I was able to have because of sports,” she wrote. “Now, my goal is to mentor and pay it forward! #grateful #athlete #lifelessons #olympian.”

McPeak, 53, offered up a photo of herself mid-game on a beach volleyball court along with her inspiring message.

Fellow athletes and fans piped in to the comments section to share how McPeak’s career continues to have an impact.

“Grateful for how you influenced my career 🙌🏼 those you work with are so lucky!” commented three-time Olympic medalist April Ross.

“You are The Gold standard of Beauty, Athleticism, and Bad-Assness!!! 🙌🔥❤️,” piped in a fan, while another person added, “A true role model ❤️🔥.”

“You are amazing! And always paying it forward. Lots of hugs. Keep inspiring 💫,” wrote someone else.

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Cara O’Bleness
CARA O’BLENESS

Cara is a trending news writer/editor for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. A passionate writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in print and online media, she loves storytelling and believes that words have the power to change the world. Prior to joining the team, Cara worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, Cara loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University's School of Journalism.

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