Largest Ever Contingent Of Aggies To Compete In The 2008 Olympic Games

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

• 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 Coach 99-Present
• 1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, Spain, USA Assistant Coach
• 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China, Estonian, Assistant Coach

M.J. Marenco – El Salvador

• 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

• 1952 Olympic Games, Helsinki, Finland

Ernesto Vela – Mexico

• 1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, South Korea

Diego Perdomo – Colombia

• 1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta, Georgia

Alfredo Jacobo – Mexico

• 2000 Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia

Riley Janes – Canada

• 2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece

Matt Rose – Canada

• 2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece

Balazs Makany – Hungary

• 2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece
• 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Francisco Picasso – Uruguay

• 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

• 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

• 1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, South Korea
• 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona, Spain

Howard Davis – Jamaica

• 1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, South Korea, Silver medalist

Richard Bucknor – Jamaica

• 1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, South Korea

Ian James – Canada

• 1988 Olympic Games, Seoul, South Korea

Mike Stulce

• 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona, Spain, Gold medalist

Aaron Ramirez

• 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona, Spain

Nery Kennedy – Paraguay

• 1992 Olympic Games, Barcelona, Spain
• 2000 Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia

Curt Young – Panama

• 1996 Olympic Games, Atlanta, Georgia

Danny McCray

• 2000 Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia

Floyd Heard

• 2000 Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia

Chris Pinnock – Jamaica

• 2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece

Alleyne Francique – Grenada

• Texas A&M Volunteer Assistant Coach, 04-Present
• 2004 Olympic Games, Athens, Greece
• 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Richard Adu-Bobie – Canada

• 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Tyrone Edgar – Great Britain

• 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Fabrice Lapierre – Australia

• 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

• 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Simone Facey – Jamaica

• 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China

Muna Lee

• Texas A&M Volunteer Assistant Coach, 08-Present
• 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing, China