Alumna Katie Gavin’s Path from Beach Volleyball to Business
Newsroom | Pepperdine University
October 13, 2026
Jacqueline Cleaveland
Rising to her 4:50 AM alarm was how Katie Gavin Goldberg ('21, MS '22), alumna of Pepperdine’s beach volleyball program, would often begin her mornings. Stepping outside her residence hall, Gavin would follow a pathway blanketed by coastal mist to Pepperdine University’s weight room. Rigorous weight training and cardio at a time before most of Malibu was awake was how Gavin prepared for collegiate beach volleyball.
Such drive remains reflective of Gavin’s character today. Since earning two college diplomas—the former from Seaver College and the latter from the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School—Gavin has moved from the gritty sands of volleyball games to closing multimillion dollar deals in commercial investment sales. She is confident that her career as a student-athlete prepared her for a successfully launched professional life.
“Working for something greater than myself is the number one thing that woke me up in the morning,” says Gavin. “The whole reason I am the person I am today is because of playing beach volleyball at Pepperdine. It taught me how to be a part of a team. I learned to work toward something beyond myself.”
Rally Up
Since childhood, Gavin’s athletic talents flourished on the volleyball court, from diving across the hardwood floors keeping the rally alive to commanding serves that soared like arrows across the net.
During her junior year of high school Gavin transitioned from the indoor game to beach volleyball, as her athletic successes gained visibility through prestigious summer tournaments. Her skill soon caught the attention of coaches at Pepperdine.