Bruins in the Olympics
At least 36 Bruins will travel to Beijing next month for the Olympics, including 27 former, three current and one incoming UCLA athlete. They will be joined by five UCLA coaches.
The United States will be represented by 28 Bruins, and seven other nations will be represented by at least one athlete who cut their teeth at UCLA.
If Westwood were its own country, it would have ranked 14th in the 2004 medal count (19 overall, including eight gold, three silver and eight bronze).
A full news release and list of athletes is after the jump.
UCLA to Have Large Presence at 2008 Olympic Games
Bruins to send a total of 36 athletes and coaches to Beijing
LOS ANGELES – Looking to add to its rich Olympic history yet again in 2008, UCLA will send a total of 36 athletes and coaches to this summer’s Olympic Games, which will be held Aug. 8-24 in Beijing, China. Of the 36 Bruins traveling to Beijing, 31 are athletes (27 former, 3 current, 1 incoming), and five are coaches.
UCLA was one of the nation's most successful universities at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, ranking No. 1 among all universities in number of different medalists (19) and number of Olympians (57 representing the United States and 13 foreign countries). Of the 19 medals UCLA took home in 2004, eight were gold, eight were bronze and three were silver. If UCLA were a country, it would have placed 14th overall in the medal count.
A majority of UCLA’s 2008 contingent will be representing the United States (28). Seven other countries will also be represented by Bruins, including Australia (1), Bahamas (1), Belize (1), Canada (2), Korea (1) and Poland (1) and Singapore (1). A large number of the UCLA athletes and coaches will be competing in the areas of women’s track & field (7) and softball (6). Other sports represented by Bruins include: men’s soccer (4), women’s soccer (3), women’s water polo (3), men’s water polo (2), men’s track & field (2), men’s tennis (2), women’s swimming (2), women’s beach volleyball (2), men’s indoor volleyball (1), men’s rowing (1) and women’s gymnastics (1).
The U.S. women’s track & field team will be led by current UCLA head coach Jeanette Bolden, a gold medalist herself at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Bruin athletes joining her on the U.S. squad will be Amy Acuff (high jump), Jessica Cosby (hammer), Dawn Harper (100m hurdles), Monique Henderson (4x400m relay) Suzy Powell (discus) and Sheena (Johnson) Tosta (400m hurdles).
Both of the Bruins’ men’s track & field athletes in China will be representing non-U.S. countries, as pole vaulter Yoo Kim and 400-meter hurdler Jonathan Williams are looking to win medals for Korea and Belize, respectively.
The U.S. softball team will once again have a heavy Bruin presence with Stacey Nuveman, Andrea Duran, Tairia Mims Flowers, Natasha Watley and Lisa Fernandez (alt.) all members of that team. Nuveman, Mims Flowers, Watley and Fernandez were all members of Team USA’s gold-medal winning squad in 2004.
All three women’s soccer representatives are currently involved with the UCLA program, as head coach Jillian Ellis will serve as an assistant with the U.S. team, while Lauren Cheney (U.S.) and Kara Lang (Canada) will be competing as athletes at the Games. Cheney, who was originally named an alternate, was a late addition to the 18-player U.S. squad following an injury to forward Abby Wambach.
A total of five Bruins (3 women, 2 men) will be traveling to Beijing as members of USA Water Polo teams. Current assistant coach and former player Brandon Brooks joins Adam Wright on the men’s team. Former UCLA head coach Guy Baker will lead the U.S. women’s team, which also features Natalie Golda and Jaime Hipp.
Former UCLA soccer standouts Marvell Wynne, Patrick Ianni and Benny Feilhaber were recently named to the 18-player U.S. squad for the Games. Frankie Hedjuk was named an alternate on the team, which is seeking its first medal in Olympic competition.
Both of UCLA’s representatives in men’s tennis will be playing doubles, as Marcin Matkowski (Poland) and Mark Knowles (Bahamas) will each be competing in the 32-team doubles draw in Beijing. Knowles, who is currently ranked No. 8 in the world in doubles, is making his fifth appearance at the Olympics. It will mark the second appearance for Matkowski, who also competed in Athens in 2004.
Nicolette Teo (Singapore) and Kim Vandenberg (U.S.) are the Bruins’ two representatives in women’s swimming. Teo will be making her third Olympic appearance in the breastroke, while Vandenberg, who narrowly missed the Games in 2004, will be competing in her first Olympics as a member of Team USA’s 800-meter freestyle relay team.
Former UCLA greats Elaine Youngs and Liz Masakayan will be teaming together in a player-coach relationship for the beach volleyball competition at the Games. Youngs, a 2004 bronze medalist in Athens, will be teaming with Nicole Branagh in Beijing, with Masakayan serving as the team’s coach.
Sports with just one UCLA representative in Beijing are rowing (Mike Altman/USA), gymnastics (Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs/Canada) and men’s volleyball (John Speraw / USA Asst. Coach).
UCLA’s Olympic athlete total could move to 37 in the next week or so, as Rhonda Watkins is still in the running to make Trinidad & Tobago’s track & field squad.
UCLA 2008 Olympians
Amy Acuff
United States
Women’s Track & Field
High Jump
Years at UCLA: 1994-97
USA Track & Field Bio: http://www.usatf.org/athletes/bios/Acuff_Amy.asp
Mike Altman
United States
Men’s Rowing
Lightweight Fours
Years at UCLA: MBA Graduate (2007)
U.S. Rowing Bio: http://rowing.teamusa.org/athlete/athlete/1857
Guy Baker
United States
Women’s Water Polo
Head Coach
Years at UCLA: Head Coach (1991-2000)
USA Water Polo Bio: http://usawaterpolo.org/index.php?customernumber=881383821215138&pr=BioWSNTGuyBaker
Jeanette Bolden
United States
Women’s Track & Field
Head Coach
Years at UCLA: Head Coach (1994-present), Athlete (1981-83)
UCLA Bio: http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/w-track/mtt/bolden_jeanette00.html
Brandon Brooks
United States
Men’s Water Polo
Goalkeeper
Years at UCLA: 1999-2002; Current Assistant Coach
USA Water Polo Bio: http://usawaterpolo.org/index.php?customernumber=881383821215138&pr=BioMSNTBrandonBrooks
UCLA Bio: http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/m-wpolo/mtt/brooks_brandon01.html
Lauren Cheney
United States
Women’s Soccer
Forward
Years at UCLA: 2006-present
UCLA Bio: http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/cheney_lauren00.html
Jessica Cosby
United States
Women’s Track & Field
Hammer
Years at UCLA: Assistant Coach (2008-present), Athlete (2001-05)
UCLA Bio: http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/w-track/mtt/cosby_jessica01.html
USA Track & Field Bio: http://www.usatf.org/athletes/bios/Cosby_Jessica.asp
Andrea Duran
United States
Softball
3rd Baseman/Outfielder
Years at UCLA: 2003-06
USA Softball Bio: http://www.usasoftball.com/bios.asp?uid=772
Jillian Ellis
United States
Women’s Soccer
Assistant Coach
Years at UCLA: Head Coach (1999-present)
UCLA Bio: http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/ellis_jillian00.html
Benny Feilhaber
United States
Men’s Soccer
Midfielder
Years at UCLA: 2003-04
Club Bio: http://www.dcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10270~37934,00.html
Lisa Fernandez
United States (Replacement Player)
Softball
Pitcher
Years at UCLA: Assistant Coach (2007-present), Player (2000-03)
USA Softball Bio: http://www.usasoftball.com/bios.asp?uid=3125
Tairia (Mims) Flowers
United States
Softball
Utility Player
Years at UCLA: 2000-03
USA Softball Bio: http://www.usasoftball.com/bios.asp?uid=774
Natalie Golda
United States
Women’s Water Polo
Defender/Utility
Years at UCLA: 2001-03, 2005
USA Water Polo Bio: http://usawaterpolo.org/index.php?customernumber=881383821215138&customernumber=21615711673873&pr=BioWSNTNatalieGolda
Tanya Harding
Australia
Softball
Utility Player
Years at UCLA: 2000-03
Australian Olympic Team bio: http://www.olympics.com.au/Athletes/TheTeam/tabid/343/Athletes/TheTeam/tabid/344/Default.aspx?cId=13211&teamId=21
Dawn Harper
United States
Women’s Track & Field
100m Hurdles
Years at UCLA: 2003-06
USA Track & Field Bio: http://trackfield.teamusa.org/athlete/athlete/165
Frankie Hejduk
United States
Men’s Soccer (Alternate)
Defender
Years at UCLA: 1992-94
U.S. Soccer Bio:
Monique Henderson
United States
Women’s Track & Field
4x400m Relay
Years at UCLA: 2002-05
USA Track & Field Bio: http://www.usatf.org/athletes/bios/Henderson_Monique.asp
Jaime Hipp
United States
Women’s Water Polo
Goalkeeper
Years at UCLA: 2000-03
USA Water Polo Bio: http://usawaterpolo.org/index.php?customernumber=881383821215138&customernumber=21615711673873&pr=BioWSNTJamieHipp
Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs
Canada
Women’s Gymnastics
All-Around
Years at UCLA: incoming freshman
Gymnastics Canada Bio: http://www.gymcan.org/content/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=640&Itemid=28
Patrick Ianni
United States
Men’s Soccer
Defender
Years at UCLA: 2003-05
U.S. Soccer Bio: http://www.ussoccer.com/bio/index.jsp_78618.html
Yoo Kim
Korea
Men’s Track & Field
Pole Vault
Years at UCLA: 2001-05
Mark Knowles
Bahamas
Men’s Tennis
Doubles
Years at UCLA: 1990-91
ITF Bio: http://www.itftennis.com/mens/players/player.asp?player=10000710
Kara Lang
Canada
Women’s Soccer
Forward
Years at UCLA: 2005-present
Canadian Soccer Association Bio: http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/nationals/profile.asp?playerid=332&sub=3
UCLA Bio: http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/lang_kara00.html
Liz Masakayan
United States
Women’s Beach Volleyball (Coach)
Years at UCLA:
Beach Volleyball Bio: http://www.bvbinfo.com/player.asp?ID=1188
Marcin Matkowski
Poland
Men’s Tennis
Doubles
Years at UCLA: ???
ITF Bio: http://www.itftennis.com/mens/players/player.asp?player=10022765
Stacey Nuveman
United States
Softball
Catcher
Years at UCLA: 1997, 1999, 2001-02
USA Softball Bio: http://www.usasoftball.com/bios.asp?uid=3124
Suzy Powell-Roos
United States
Women’s Track & Field
Discus
Years at UCLA: 1995-98
USA Track & Field Bio: http://www.usatf.org/athletes/bios/Powell_Suzy.asp
John Speraw
United States
Men’s Volleyball (Assistant Coach)
Years at UCLA: 1991-95
UC Irvine Bio: http://ucirvinesports.cstv.com/sports/m-volley/mtt/speraw_john00.html
Nicolette Teo
Singapore
Swimming
100/200 breast; Relays
Years at UCLA: 2005-08
UCLA Bio: http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/w-swim/mtt/teo_nicolette00.html
Sheena (Johnson) Tosta
United States
Women’s Track & Field
400m Hurdles
Years at UCLA: 2001-04
USA Track & Field Bio: http://www.usatf.org/athletes/bios/Johnson_Sheena.asp
Kim Vandenberg
United States
Swimming
4x200m Relay
Years at UCLA: 2005-08
U.S. Swimming Bio: http://www.usaswimming.org/usasweb/DesktopModules/BioViewManaged.aspx?personid=d59d803a-5d93-4cb6-9cb9-44e4a9031c59&TabId=388&Mid=597
Natasha Watley
United States
Softball
Shortstop
Years at UCLA: 2000-03
USA Softball Bio: http://www.usasoftball.com/bios.asp?uid=785
Jonathan Williams
Belize
Men’s Track & Field
400m Hurdles
Years at UCLA: 2002-05
Bio:
Adam Wright
United States
Men’s Water Polo
Attacker
Years at UCLA: 1997-2000
USA Water Polo Bio: http://usawaterpolo.org/index.php?customernumber=881383821215138&pr=BioMSNTAdamWright
Marvell Wynne
United States
Men’s Soccer
Defender
Years at UCLA: 2004-05
U.S. Soccer Bio: http://www.ussoccer.com/bio/index.jsp_78621.html
Elaine Youngs
United States
Women’s Beach Volleyball
Years at UCLA:
Beach Volleyball Bio: http://www.bvbinfo.com/player.asp?ID=1189
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Great article on the members of the US Beach Volleyball team from UCLA. For more details about these athletes and the life and times on the AVP tour by Tom Burke, check out this new groundbreaking book, "Order On The Court". www.orderonthecourt.com
Posted by: Steve Robinson | August 06, 2008 at 08:16 AM
Great article on the members of the US Beach Volleyball team. For more details about these athletes and the life and times on the AVP tour, check out this new groundbreaking book, "Order On The Court". www.orderonthecourt.com
Posted by: Steve Robinson | August 06, 2008 at 08:17 AM