UVA Has 19 Representatives for Rio Olympics
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July 18, 2016
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.–A total of 17 individuals with ties to the University of Virginia have been selected to represent their countries at the 2016 Olympic Games being held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 3-21. In addition, two former UVA student-athletes have been selected as team alternates.
A UVA-record 14 competitors have been selected by their respective Olympic committees to compete in Rio, including Michelle Vittese (’13 — United States) in women’s field hockey, Susanne Grainger (’13 — Canada), Inge Janssen (’10 — Netherlands), Matt Miller (’11 — United States), Meghan O’Leary (’08 — United States) and Christine Roper (’11 — Canada) in rowing, Morgan Brian (’15 — United States) and Becky Sauerbrunn (’07 — United States) in women’s soccer, Yannick Kaeser (’16 — Switzerland) and Leah Smith (’17 — United States) in swimming, Dominic Inglot (’09 — Great Britain) in tennis and Robby Andrews (’14 — United States), Kemal Mesic (UVA throws coach — Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Filip Mihaljevic (’17 — Croatia) in track and field.
In addition, UVA head coaches Kevin Sauer (United States, rowing) and Steve Swanson (United States, women’s soccer) and alumna Dawn Staley (United States, women’s basketball) have been selected as assistant coaches, while Paige Selenski (’13 — United States, women’s field hockey) and Emily Sonnett (’16 — United States, women’s soccer) have been named as alternates for their respective teams.
VirginiaSports.com will feature coverage of all Cavaliers throughout the Olympiad. The networks of NBC Universal will provide television coverage of the Olympic Games and every event will be available online at NBCOlympics.com.
2016 University of Virginia Olympians
Field Hockey
Michelle Vittese ’13 — United States
Second Olympic appearance (2012) … Three-time All-American at Virginia … 2012 U.S. Field Hockey National Player of the Year … Has earned 150 international caps with U.S. National Team … Selected to team by U.S. head coach Craig Parnham.
Rowing
Susanne Grainger ’13 — Canada — women’s eight
First Olympic appearance … 2013 second-team All-American at Virginia … Three-time medalist with the Canadian women’s eight at the World Rowing Championships … Selected by Rowing Canada Aviron.
Inge Janssen ’10 — Netherlands — women’s quad
Second Olympic appearance (2012) … Part of 2010 NCAA Champion varsity four at UVA … Bronze medalist in women’s quad at 2015 World Rowing Championships … Selected by Royal Dutch Rowing Federation.
Matt Miller ’11 — United States — men’s four
First Olympic appearance … Rowed for UVA’s men’s club rowing team for four years … Two-time member of U.S. men’s eight at the World Rowing Championships … Selected by USRowing.
Meghan O’Leary ’08 — United States — women’s double sculls
First Olympic appearance … Two-sport varsity student-athlete at UVA (softball and volleyball) …Two-time A-finalist for U.S. women’s double at World Rowing Championships … Selected by USRowing.
Christine Roper ’11 — Canada — women’s eight
First Olympic appearance … 2011 second-team All-American at Virginia … Three-time medalist with the Canadian women’s eight at the World Rowing Championships … Selected by Rowing Canada Aviron.
Women’s Soccer
Morgan Brian ’14 — United States
First Olympic appearance … Two-time MAC Hermann Trophy winner and three-time All-American at Virginia … Has earned 53 international caps with four goals for the USWNT … Selected by U.S. head coach Jill Ellis.
Becky Sauerbrunn ’07 — United States
Second Olympic appearance (2012) … Will serve as Team USA’s captain … Three-time All-American at Virginia … Has earned 107 international caps for the USWNT … Selected by U.S. head coach Jill Ellis.
Swimming
Yannick Kaeser ’16 — Switzerland — men’s 100m and 200m breaststroke
Second Olympic appearance (2012) … Four-time All-American at Virginia … Swiss national record holder in both 100- and 200-meter breaststroke … Qualified by being top Swiss swimmer in both events and achieving FINA Olympic standard.
Leah Smith ’17 — United States — women’s 400m and 800m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle relay
First Olympic appearance … Four-time NCAA Champion at Virginia (500y free and 1,650y free in 2015 and 2016) … Gold medalist with U.S. 4x200m free relay at 2015 FINA World Championships … Qualified by finishing second in 400m and 800m free and third in 200m free at U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Tennis
Dominic Inglot ’09 — Great Britain — men’s doubles
First Olympic appearance … Three-time All-American at Virginia …Member of 2015 British Davis Cup Champion team … Entries were announced by the International Tennis Federation.
Track and Field
Robby Andrews ’14 — United States — men’s 1,500 meters
First Olympic appearance … Two-time NCAA Champion at Virginia (800m – 2010 indoor and 2011 outdoor) … Fourth in men’s 1,500m at 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships … Qualified by finishing second in 1,500m at U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Kemal Mesic — UVA throws coach — Bosnia and Herzegovina — men’s shot put
Second Olympic appearance … Five-time first-team All-American at Florida … Two-time IAAF World Championship qualifier for Bosnia and Herzegovina … Qualified by being top Bosnian shot putter and hitting Olympic standard.
Filip Mihaljevic ’17 — Croatia — men’s shot put
First Olympic appearance … 2016 NCAA outdoor champion in shot put … Bronze medalist at 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships … Qualified by being top Croatian shot putter and hitting Olympic standard.
Coaches
Kevin Sauer — UVA head rowing coach — United States rowing assistant coach — women’s double
Two-time CRCA National Coach of the Year … Has guided UVA to two NCAA Championships (2010 and 2012) and 16 ACC titles … 10-time ACC Rowing Coach of the Year … Will coach O’Leary and teammate Ellen Tomek in women’s double.
Steve Swanson — UVA head women’s soccer coach — United States women’s soccer assistant coach
2013 NSCAA National Coach of the Year … Led UVA to two ACC titles and two College Cups … Guided U.S. Women’s Under-20 National Team to the 2012 FIFA U20 World Cup title … Will serve as an assistant coach on Jill Ellis’ staff.
Dawn Staley ’92 — United States women’s basketball assistant coach
Two-time Naismith Player of the Year at UVA… Two-time ACC Player of the Year… Current head coach of the South Carolina women’s basketball program.
Alternates
Paige Selenski ’13 — United States women’s field hockey
Member of 2012 U.S. Olympic squad … Four-time All-American at Virginia … Has earned 137 international caps and was part of American 2011 and 2015 Pan American Games gold-medal teams.
Emily Sonnett `16 — United States women’s soccer
2015 ESPNW National Player of the Year at Virginia … First overall pick in 2016 NWSL Draft … Has earned nine international caps for the USWNT.