The largest ever contingent of Texas A&M University representatives will make their way to the 2008 Olympic Games held in Beijing, China. With 17 Aggie athletes and coaches representing nine different countries, the opening ceremonies are scheduled for Aug. 8 and closing ceremonies are slated for Aug. 24.

 

“Just making the Olympics is a great accomplishment and I know everyone at Texas A&M is very proud of our student-athletes, coaches and former students who have qualified for the Beijing Olympic Games,” Aggie Director of Athletics Bill Byrne said. “We wish them all the very best in the upcoming competitions.”Two former students have been named to the USA Olympic team for the third time in their respective fields of expertise. Former volleyball standout Stacy Sykora was named to the USA women’s Olympic volleyball team and Vic Wunderle, an Aggie Class of 2002, was named to the USA archery Olympic team for the third consecutive time.

 

In the track and field portion of the Olympics (Aug. 15-24), a couple of Aggie volunteer assistant coaches who ran for Coach Pat Henry at LSU have earned spots. Sprinter Muna Lee competed in the 2004 Games in Athens and has qualified for the USA track and field squad. One of the top quartermilers in the world, Alleyne Francique placed fourth in 2004 in Athens and he will compete for Grenada.

Off of this past year’s Aggie track and field team, seniors Richard Adu-Bobie of Canada and Simone Facey of Jamaica have made their respective Olympic squads. Allison George was a junior last year and she earned a place on the Grenada Olympic team in the 100 and 200 meters.

The first Aggie female pole vaulter and still Aggie record holder in both the indoor and outdoor competitions, Erica (Boren) Bartolina, placed third in the U.S. Olympic Trials with a personal best of 14-11 to earn her spot on the USA squad.

Long jumper Fabrice Lapierre, a four-year Aggie letterman and 2005 NCAA Champion, has qualified for the Australian Olympic team.

Sprinter Tyrone Edgar was named to the Great Britain Olympic squad in both the 100 and the 4 X 100 relay pool.

In the swimming pool (Aug. 9-17), four members of the Aggie squad that placed fourth in the NCAA Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships this past season will compete in Beijing. Aggie women’s swimming head coach Steve Bultman will serve as an assistant coach on the Estonia Olympic squad as he tutors A&M junior Triin Aljand.

Junior Christine Marshall became the first Aggie female swimmer to earn a spot on the USA Olympic team. Marshall swam a career-best time of 1:58.16 in the championship final of the 200-meter freestyle to earn a spot on the American 800 freestyle relay team.Three of Marshall’s teammates will compete in Beijing as well. Junior Julia Wilkinson will compete in eight events for Canada, while Aljand has earned a spot on the Estonia Olympic team and sophomore Alia Atkinson has earned a place on the Jamaica Olympic squad. This will mark the second consecutive Olympic Games for both Aljand and Atkinson.

On the men’s side of the swimming pool, former swimmer Francisco Picasso will swim for Uruguay and sophomore-to-be Balazs Makany will swim for the Hungarian Olympic team for a second time.The last Aggie to win a gold medal in the Olympic Games was in 2000 when Aggie softball standout Jennifer McFalls was part of the USA Gold Medal softball team.

 

 

 

2008 OLYMPIC GAMES (BEIJING, CHINA)

17 TEXAS A&M ATHLETES & COACHES

Richard Adu-Bobie, Canada Men’s Track & Field

Triin Aljand, Estonia Women’s Swimming & Diving

Alia Atkinson, Jamaica Women’s Swimming & Diving

Erica (Boren) Bartolina, USA Women’s Track & Field

Steve Bultman (Texas A&M Women’s Swimming Head Coach), Estonia Asst. Coach

Tyrone Edgar, Great Britain Men’s Track & Field

Simone Facey, Jamaica Women’s Track & Field

Alleyne Francique (Volunteer Asst. Coach at Texas A&M), Grenada Men’s Track & Field

Allison George, Grenada Women’s Track & Field

Fabrice Lapierre, Australia Men’s Track & Field

Muna Lee (Volunteer Asst. Coach at Texas A&M), USA Women’s Track & Field

Balazs Makany, Hungary Men’s Swimming & Diving

Christine Marshall, USA Women’s Swimming & Diving

Francisco Picasso, Uruguay Men’s Swimming & Diving

Stacy Sykora, USA Women’s Volleyball

Julia Wilkinson, Canada Women’s Swimming & Diving

Vic Wunderle, USA Archery (Class of ’02)

 

 

Texas A&M Athletes & Coaches Olympians

 

Volleyball:

Laurie (Flachmeier) Corbelli- USA                                                       

Texas A&M Head Volleyball Coach 93 – Present

1980 (boycott)

1984 Olympic Games, Los Angeles, CA, Silver medalist

John Corbelli

Texas A&M Assistant Volleyball Coach 93 - Present

1984 Olympic Games, Los Angeles, CA, Women’s Assistant Coach

Stacy Sykora

2000 Olympic, Barcelona, Spain,

2004 Olympic, Athens, Greece,

2008 Olympic, Beijing, China,

 

Softball:

Jennifer McFalls

2000 Olympic, Barcelona, Spain, Gold Medalist

 

Men’s Tennis:

Grant Connell (Canada Team)

1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, Korea, Singles & Doubles

1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta, Georgia, Doubles

Dean Goldfine

2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece

USA Assistant Coach

 

Women’s Basketball:

Peggie Gillom

Texas A&M Former Head Women’s Basketball Coach 98-03

2000 Olympic Games, Barcelona, Spain

USA Assistant Coach

 

Women’s Swimming & Diving:

Steve Bultman

Texas A&M Head Women’s swimming 99-Present

1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, Spain

USA Assistant Coach

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Estonian, Assistant Coach

M.J. Marenco (El Salvador Team)

1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona, Spain

Paty Villareal (Mexico)

2000 Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia

Triin Aljand (Estonia Team)

2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Alia Atkinson (Jamaica Team)

2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Christine Marshall

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Julia Wilkinson (Canada Team)

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

 

Men’s Swimming & Diving:

Tetsuo Okamato (Brazil Team)

1952 Olympic Games, Helsinki, Finland

Ernesto Vela (Mexico Team)

1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, South Korea

Diego Perdomo (Colombia Team)

1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta, Georgia

Alfredo Jacobo (Mexico Team)

2000 Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia

Riley Janes (Canada Team)

2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece

Matt Rose (Canada Team)

2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece

Balazs Makany (Hungary Team)

2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Francisco Picasso (Uruguay Team)

2000 Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

 

Men’s Track & Field:

Jack Mahan

1920 Olympic Games, Antwerp, Belgium

Art Harnden

1948 Olympic Games, London, England, Gold medalist

Walt “Buddy” Davis

1952 Olympic Games, Helsinki, Finland, Gold medalist

Darrow Hooper

1952 Olympic Games, Helsinki, Finland, Silver medalist

Randy Matson

1964 Olympic Games, Tokyo, Japan, Silver medalist

1968 Olympic Games, Mexico City, Mexico, Gold medalist

Jimmy Howard

1980 (boycott)

1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, South Korea

Kyle Heffner

1980 (boycott)

Juan De La Garza (Mexico Team)

Texas A&M Assistant coach, 91-Present

1984 Olympic Games, Los Angeles, CA

1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta, Georgia

Randy Barnes

1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, South Korea, Silver medalist

1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta, Georgia, Gold medalist

Arturo Barrios (Mexico Team)

1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, South Korea

1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona, Spain

Howard Davis (Jamaica Team)

1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, South Korea, Silver medalist

Richard Bucknor (Jamaica Team)

1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, South Korea

Ian James (Canada Team)

1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, South Korea

Mike Stulce

1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona, Spain, Gold medalist

Aaron Ramirez

1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona, Spain

Nery Kennedy (Paraguayan Team)

1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona, Spain

2000 Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia

Curt Young (Panamanian Team)

1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta, Georgia

Danny McCray

2000 Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia

Floyd Heard

2000 Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia

Chris Pinnock (Jamaica Team)

2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece

Alleyne Francique (Grenada Team)

Texas A&M Volunteer Assistant Coach, 04-Present

2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Richard Adu-Bobie (Canada Team)

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Tyrone Edgar (Great Britain Team)

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Men’s Track & Field:

Fabrice Lapierre (Australia Team)

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

 

Women’s Track & Field:

Linda Cornelius Waltman

1980 (boycott)

Erica (Boren) Bartolina

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Allison George (Grenada Team)

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Simone Facey (Jamaica Team)

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Muna Lee

Texas A&M Volunteer Assistant Coach, 08-Present

2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China