Two Southern California natives announced Thursday they are teaming up to chase gold in beach volleyball during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. World champion and two-time Olympian Kelly Cheng and former USC teammate Megan Kraft have set their sights on qualifying for the 2028 Olympics.
“Everything has been like a whirlwind, but in the best way,” Kraft said. “I’m just really excited for it to keep going.”
The new partners were All-Americans and won multiple NCAA national titles while they competed for the Trojans.
The two share a love for their alma mater and have faith in one another.
“Beach volleyball is like (a) marriage between partners,” Cheng said. “I feel like Meg has had to make a lot of very big decisions. She’s 23, and I’ve just been absolutely impressed (by) how she’s handled every step of the way.”
Cheng, from Fullerton, and Kraft, from San Diego, want to compete in front of a home crowd and play on a global stage.
“I think you’ll see it on the court, the joy of the way we play and pursuing this, not just for ourselves individually, but for each other and for our team and for the United States,” Cheng said. “I think it’s so much bigger than just the two of us.”
Beach volleyball will be played at Alamitos Beach Stadium in Long Beach during the 2028 Games.
24 women’s teams will qualify for beach volleyball. As a host nation, the U.S. is guaranteed one team, with the possibility of qualifying a second team.