On verge of a record

Misty May-Treanor has too many other things going on to worry about records, even if she is on the cusp of breaking one.

Spectators at Hermosa Beach could be in for a treat this weekend if Newport Harbor High alum May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh win their fourth straight Assoc. of Volleyball Professionals tournament this season.

That’s because it would also be May-Treanor’s 73rd career tournament win, which would make her the winningest women’s volleyball player in AVP history.

Last week, May-Treanor and Walsh defeated Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder, and May-Treanor tied the tournament wins record of 72, set by her former partner, Holly McPeak.

But May-Treanor hasn’t thought about a 73rd victory very much, except when other people bring it up. Once she leaves the volleyball pit, she’s thinking about American Idol — her favorites are Jordin and Melinda — and Dancing with the Stars, which she’d like to be on.

When McPeak and May-Treanor spoke, McPeak pointed out that May-Treanor could set a much higher benchmark if the success she’s found with Walsh continues, because she’s only 30 years old.

McPeak, who just turned 38, said it was inevitable that her record would be broken.

“She’s the main catalyst. She was my first partner on the beach. She was my first victory, and we made a run at the 2000 [Olympic] games,” May-Treanor said. “If it happens, I owe her a lot of thanks for giving me the opportunity.”

While both May-Treanor and Walsh want to have children, “we’d like to keep playing for as long as we can, ‘til our bodies say no more,” May-Treanor said.

One thing’s certain: at least a small cadre from May-Treanor’s fan club, the May-niacs, will be milling around Hermosa in case she breaks the record.

The closest thing to beach culture in New Castle, Pa. can be found 100 miles north, on the coast of Lake Erie, and well, freshwater doesn’t really count.

But salt deficiency didn’t stop 29-year-old Jeff Tammaro from becoming a serious beach volleyball fan, almost overnight.

Tammaro, an entrepreneur who works for his family’s business in New Castle, was channel-surfing in 2003 when he paused to watch a match and became hooked on May-Treanor.

It was unusual — beach volleyball is more of a regional fixation — but Tammaro didn’t care. Intrigued, he started combing the Internet for information on May-Treanor, but he couldn’t find much.

“I just thought [May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh] were great athletes, and they were so dominant at the time,” Tammaro said. “It was real impressive for someone from Pennsylvania, which is not really a volleyball place. It was really cool to see it.”

Wanting to connect with other May-Treanor fans, Tammaro started a Yahoo! Group dedicated to her.

“For over a year there were only twenty or so members in the group and no one was contributing or actively participating except for me,” Tammaro said in an e-mail.

Then, the 2004 Olympics came around, and with a gold medal, May-Treanor’s popularity soared.

A thousand people joined the fan club in a week, Tammaro said. To date, the fan club has 2,124 members scattered across the U.S. and overseas.

It wasn’t until 2006, when Tammaro noticed that fans of other volleyball players had given themselves nicknames, that he coined the name “May-niacs.”

Some May-niacs travel to AVP events, sporting May-niacs tee shirts. There’s even an official color, light blue.

But Tammaro, the original May-niac, has yet to witness an AVP event in person. He’s collected autographed shirts, hats, cards, and pictures, and every week during the tour, he camps down in front of his television to watch May-Treanor while chatting with Amy Barragan, the May-niacs group co-moderator.

Qualifiers for the main draw of the men’s and women’s competition start at 8:00 a.m. Friday, and the women’s final is at 2:30 Sunday afternoon. The men’s final will follow.

SORAYA NADIA McDONALD may be reached at (714) 966-4613 or at soraya.mcdonald@latimes.com.