Oct. 13, 2016
A dozen current or former University of Notre Dame student-athletes took part in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro-and six of them will return to campus to be recognized this weekend in conjunction with the Notre Dame-Stanford football game.
The half-dozen former Notre Dame student-athletes who participated in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games are among a group of 10 who competed and two more who coached. Returning this weekend are:
– Angie Akers-She was a coach with the Netherlands beach volleyball squad. She’s a 1998 Notre Dame graduate.
– Margaret Bamgbose–She ran the 400 meters for Nigeria and qualified for the semifinals. She’s a 2016 graduate.
– Kelley Hurley–A bronze-medal winner in London, she advanced to the round of 32 in individual epee fencing competition and helped the U.S. epee team finish fifth. She’s a 2010 graduate.
– Mariel Zagunis–A four-time Olympian, former gold-medalist and four-time medal-winner, she advanced to the individual sabre fencing round of 16 and then helped the U.S. win the bronze in the team sabre competition.
– Gerek Meinhardt–A three-time Olympian, he advanced to the individual foil fencing quarterfinals and helped the U.S. win bronze in the team foil event. He’s a 2013 graduate.
– Amanda Polk–In her first Olympics, she helped the U.S. eight boat win the gold medal in women’s rowing. She’s a 2008 graduate.
The six returnees will take part in a variety of events over the weekend, and they will be recognized at a timeout during the football game Saturday night at Notre Dame Stadium.
Polk, Zagunis and Meinhardt will be guests on the Jack Swarbrick Radio Show this week (check UND.com for podcasts of those interviews).
The other six Rio Olympians who were unable to return this weekend are:
- Natalie Achonwa– She and the Team Canada women’s basketball team ended with a quarterfinal loss to France. She’s a 2014 graduate.
- Courtney Hurley- She helped Team USA finish fifth in the women’s epee team fencing competition. In individual action, Hurley fell in the round of 32. She’s a 2013 graduate.
- Lee Kiefer– She saw her run in the individual women’s foil fencing competition end in the round of 16. She’s a 2015 graduate.
- Melissa Tancredi- She and Team Canada defeated Brazil in the women’s soccer bronze-medal match. Tancredi scored two goals in Canada’s 2-1 victory over Germany in group play. Tancredi captured her second Olympic medal, having helped Canada to the bronze in 2012. She’s a 2005 graduate.
- Molly Huddle- She posted an American record in the women’s 10,000-meter race, finishing sixth in the fastest women’s 10K in history. Huddle’s 30:13.17 time shattered Shalane Flanagan’s 30:22.22 mark set at the 2008 Beijing Games. She’s a 2006 graduate.
- Monty Williams- He helped the USA men’s basketball team win the gold medal for a third consecutive Summer Olympic Games as an assistant coach. Team USA defeated Argentina in the quarterfinals, Spain in the semifinals and then Serbia in the gold-medal contest. He’s a 1994 graduate.
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