As the Olympic Games begin in London this weekend, Penn State fans will have a chance to cheer on fellow alum and students as 19 athletes are competing in seven sports.
That includes both male and female competitors in fencing, track and field and volleyball.
Natalie Dell will make history for the school as the first Nittany Lion to compete in rowing at the Olympics.
Four competitors are current students at Penn State, while 14 alumni and one Nittany Lion coach will compete as well. Eight athletes will represent seven countries other than the U.S., including Canada, Great Britain, Israel, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Suriname.
Penn State athletes have won 23 medals, including five gold medals. Former men’s gymnastics assistant coach, Kevin Tan, is the most recent Penn Stater to medal, winning a team bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Suzie McConnell was the last Penn Stater to earn gold medal as a member of the 1988 U.S. women’s basketball team.
The following are all of the Penn State affiliated athletes. An (*) represents a current Penn State athlete.
- Dominique Blake: (Jamaica: Track and Field, 400 meter)
- Shana Cox (Great Britain: Track and Field, 400 meter, 4×400)
- Kirsten Nieuwendam*: (Suriname: Track and Field, 200 meter)
- Bridget Franek: (USA: Track and Field, 3,000-meter steeplechase)
- Ryan Whiting: (USA: Track and Field, Shot put)
- Matt Anderson: (USA: Men’s Volleyball)
- Miles Chamley-Watson*: (USA: Fencing)
- Doris Willette: (USA: Fencing)
- Daniel Gomez-Tanamachi* (Mexico:Fencing)
- Erin McLeod: (Canada: Soccer)
- Carmelina Moscato: (Canada: Soccer)
- Tommy Ramos: (Puerto Rico: Gymnastics)
- Felix Aronovich*: (Israel: Gymnastics)
- Bobby Lea: (USA: Cycling)
- Nicole Fawcett: (USA: Women’s Volleyball)
- Christa Harmotto: (USA: Women’s Volleyball)
- Alisha Glass: (USA: Women’s Volleyball)
- Megan Hodge: (USA: Women’s Volleyball)
-Women’s Volleyball Schedule –
- Natalie Dell (USA: Rowing)
