PARIS, France – CSUN's Katie Holloway Bridge is a five-time Paralympic medalist for Team USA sitting volleyball, with back-to-back-to-back gold medals in the trophy case. The team downed China 3-1 (25-21, 23-25, 25-20, 25-22) on Saturday at North Paris Arena to cap the 2024 Paralympic Games to extend the medal-winning ways.
The women’s sitting team (4-1) has medaled at every Paralympics since the discipline was introduced for women in 2004. China (4-1) took its third straight silver medal. The teams have played each other in the last five Paralympic finals.
CSUN women’s basketball alumna and outside hitter for the sitting volleyball team, Holloway Bridge scored 15 points on 12 kills, two blocks and one ace in the gold medal game. Playing in four of the United States’ five games in Paris, Holloway Bridge tallied 58 total points including a 21-point outing with team highs in points and kills in the semifinal victory against Brazil.
In Saturday’s fourth set, the U.S. reached match point at 24-20 on a kill from Holloway Bridge. China scored twice before the U.S. took the match on another successful strike by Holloway Bridge to claim the top place on the podium.
The win over rival China was redemption of sorts after the United States dropped their pool play opening match in Paris, 3-1, after China won three straight sets to earn the win. The U.S. then beat France and Italy in pool play to advance to the medal round before wins over Brazil and China to attain the pinnacle of the sport.
Along with three consecutive gold medals (2016, ’20, ’24), Holloway Bridge took home silver in 2008 and ’12, making the former Matador one of eight individuals with a Big West school tie to earn three or more gold medals in the Olympics or Paralympics.
Holloway Bridge joins elite company that includes notable alumni Greg Louganis of UC Irvine (Team USA - diving; 4 golds, 1 silver), Long Beach State’s Misty May-Treanor (Team USA - beach volleyball; 3 golds) and Paralympic swimmer John Morgan of UC Irvine (Team USA - 13 golds, 2 silvers).