AUGUST 25:
Cardinal athletes at the 2008 Games have set a new University record for their total Olympic medal count. Eight golds, 12 silvers and four bronzes went to 23 competitors in an impressive string of performances. Congratulations to all 47 students and alumni who competed in Beijing.
Baseball: The U.S. men leave China with the bronze, beating Japan 8-4 in their last game. John Gall, '00, had five RBI and batted .242 during the tournament. The gold medal went to South Korea in an upset over Olympic powerhouse Cuba.
Track and field: The men's marathon runners competed under sunny blue skies during Saturday morning's race. Ryan Hall, '05, placed 10th overall, running the 26.2-mile course in 2:12:33, six minutes behind race-winner and new Olympic record holder Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya.
Volleyball: For the first time in 20 years, the U.S. men have won the gold in volleyball. The team won every match of the tournament and beat defending champion Brazil 3-1 in the final. Kevin Hansen, '04, MA '05, and Gabe Gardner, '99, share the gold with the rest of the team. The women's gold-medal match also featured a showdown between the United States and Brazil. Although the American women became the first of the tournament to take a set from Brazil, their opponents proved too powerful, and Logan Tom, '03, Ogonna Nnamani, '05, and the rest of the team received the silver.
Water polo: The U.S. men ended their magical run with a silver medal in this weekend's final, as world-champion Hungary won its third consecutive Olympic gold 14-10. U.S. captain Tony Azevedo, '04, led the team with four goals on five attempts. Layne Beaubien, '98, scored twice, and Peter Varellas, '06, MS '08, contributed eight assists. Peter Hudnut, '03, also saw action in the pool. This was the first medal for the men's team since 1988.
AUGUST 22:
Baseball: Cuba, defending gold medal champion from Athens, dealt a harsh 10-2 defeat on the U.S. team in the semifinals. John Gall, '00, and the rest of the Americans will play Japan for the bronze on Friday evening.
Volleyball: The U.S. men won their first two sets against Russia in the semifinals, but the Russians took the next two. The tense fifth set saw the Americans win 15-13, taking the match and earning a place in the gold medal contest against Brazil on Sunday. It will be their first shot at the gold since 1988. Gabe Gardner, '99, and Kevin Hansen, '04, MA '05, didn't see action in the match.
Water polo: In Thursday's men's semifinal, the U.S. toppled powerhouse team Serbia 10-5 to advance to the gold medal match on Sunday morning. Tony Azevedo, '04, and Layne Beaubien, '98, scored half of the team's goals, with three and two respectively. Peter Hudnut, '03, and Peter Varellas, '06, MS '08, also played. The Americans entered the tournament ranked ninth but have surprised their opponents with win after win. Their last match will be against Hungary, the defending Olympic champions.
AUGUST 21:
Beach volleyball: They've done it again! Kerri Walsh, '00, and Misty May-Treanor won another gold medal in two sets against China. The duo became the first team to win consecutive Olympic gold medals, and went undefeated in Beijing. This was the 100th tournament victory of Walsh's career. "I'm so proud of what we've done," she told reporters. "Now we really are in the history books."
Soccer: The U.S. women have won their third gold medal since women's soccer became an Olympic sport in 1996. Their Brazilian opponents, who beat them at last year's World Cup, put up a good fight; the game was in extra time with a scoreless tie when the Americans snuck in a goal to clinch the contest. The team, including Rachel Buehler, '07, and Nicole Barnhart, '04, shared what was officially the 1,000th gold medal in Olympic history for the United States.
Softball: No one expected it was even possible, but the U.S. team lost Thursday morning's gold-medal match 3-1 to Japan, the same team they had beaten one day earlier. Strong pitching from Yukiko Ueno and a couple of errors from the Americans saw the Japanese flag rise at the end of the tournament. It was softball's farewell game on the international stage for at least eight years. The International Olympics Committee has removed it from the schedule for 2012, in part because of perceived American domination in the sport. For Jessica Mendoza, '04, MA '05, Lauren Lappin, '06, and the rest of the team, it is a humbling and unanticipated close to the Beijing games.
Volleyball: The U.S. women exacted revenge on Cuba, the only team to beat them in the qualifying rounds, with a three-set victory in the semifinals. They now face Brazil for the gold medal. "I want the gold," Logan Tom, '03, told reporters. "We've spent years and years of hard work, sacrifice, and dedication." Tom, Ogonna Nnamani, '05, and the rest of the team will play for the American women's first chance at a gold since 1984.
Water polo: In the women's final, the Netherlands turned in a shocking 9-8 defeat of the U.S., thanks to a tie-breaking goal with 26 seconds left in the game. The Dutch team entered the tournament ranked ninth but leaves with the gold medal. Jessica Steffens, '09, Alison Gregorka, '07, captain Brenda Villa, '02, and their American teammates end the tournament with silver, the same medal the team received in Athens.
AUGUST 20:
Baseball: The U.S. defeated Japan in 11 innings. The game had no bearing on the tournament outcome, since both teams were already guaranteed semifinal berths on Thursday evening. John Gall, '00, knocked in one run on a ground out.
Softball: For the first time of these Olympics games, the U.S. team's fortunes were in question, as Tuesday's close match against Japan pushed into extra innings. Four runs in the ninth inning, however, secured the 4-1 victory. Japan went on to beat Australia in their next game, so they will meet Jessica Mendoza, '02, MA '03, Lauren Lappin, '06, and the rest of the American women again in a gold-medal rematch on Thursday.
Track and Field: Ian Dobson, '04, ran the 5000-meter qualifier in 14:05.47, not fast enough to race the final.
Volleyball: The U.S. men went five-for-five in pool play, clinching the run with a five-set victory over Serbia on Wednesday morning. Kevin Hansen, '04, MA '05, Gabe Gardner, '99, and their teammates now head to Thursday night's semifinals.
Wrestling: Canadian wrestler Matt Gentry, '04, competed against Emzarios Bentinidis of Greece in the 74 kilogram weight class. Gentry scored one point to his opponent's four and won't advance to the quarterfinals.
AUGUST 19:
Baseball: The U.S. team has recovered from a shaky tournament start and will play in the medal round, having beaten Taiwan 4-2 early Tuesday. John Gall, '00, had a great game, opening the sixth inning with a home run and hitting a double in the eighth. The team plays Japan on Wednesday.
Beach volleyball: Kerri Walsh, '00, and Misty May-Treanor sure do make it look easy. The duo has yet to lose a single set in Beijing. They beat Brazil's Renata Ribeiro and Talita Rocha in Monday evening's semifinal and play China for the gold on Wednesday night.
Track and Field: Bermudan long jumper Arantxa King, '11, competed in Monday's qualifying round but didn't get the chance to advance to the finals.
Volleyball: The U.S. women had yet another hard-fought five-set victory, this time over Italy. The team, including Logan Tom, '03, and Ogonna Nnamani, '05, face as-yet-undefeated Cuba in Wednesday night's semifinal.
Water polo: The U.S. women enjoyed victory in a thrilling match against their rival, Australia, securing them a place in the gold medal match on Thursday morning. The Americans led after the third quarter, but Australia came back to tie it 8-8 in the fourth. With only a minute left, Brenda Villa, '02, scored the game-winning goal, her third of the game. Jessica Steffens, '09, and Alison Gregorka, '07, scored a goal apiece.
AUGUST 18:
Baseball: On Saturday, the U.S. team, including John Gall, '00, recovered from a slow start to beat Canada 5-4. Their luck continued to improve Sunday with a 9-1 victory over China.
Basketball: New Zealand faced the as-yet-unbeaten American women's team on Sunday, losing 96-60. Clare Bodensteiner, '07, MA '07, and Jillian Harmon, '09, saw time on the court. The team will not play in the quarterfinals.
Beach volleyball: Kerri Walsh, '00, and Misty May-Treanor have won again. Their quarterfinal victory against one Brazilian team sends them to play the other on Tuesday.
Rowing: Stanford rowers received two gold medals as competition wrapped up this weekend. Elle Logan, '10, rowed with the U.S. women's 8 boat, and Adam Kreek, '06, was part of the Canadian men's 8 boat; both teams led for the entire length of their respective races and emerged victorious. In other events, Lindsay Meyer, '11, and the rest of the women in the quadruple sculls boat took fifth in their final, nine seconds behind gold medal winner China. The U.S. men, including Jamie Schroeder, '04, MA '05, also took fifth in quadruple sculls, coming in six seconds behind first-place Poland.
Soccer: In Monday morning's semifinals, the U.S. team came from behind to beat Japan 4-2. Rachel Buehler, '07, Nicole Barnhart, '04, and the rest of the team will face Brazil in Thursday's final. The U.S. beat Brazil in 2004, when they met in the Olympic tournament final in Athens.
Softball: The Americans continued their relentless string of victories over the weekend, with wins over Taiwan (7-0), the Netherlands (8-0) and China (9-0). Jessica Mendoza, '02, MA '03, hit two home runs over the weekend; she and Lauren Lappin, '06, each collected two RBI in the Taiwan game.
Swimming: Competition for Stanford athletes in the Water Cube has drawn to a close. On Friday, Jason Dunford, '09, placed fifth in the final of the 100-meter butterfly, 0.89 seconds behind gold medal winner Michael Phelps. Ben Wildman-Tobriner, '07, placed fifth in the lightning-paced 50-meter freestyle, just 0.34 seconds behind Brazilian Cesar Cielo Filho, who took the gold.
Tennis: The Bryan twins have won the bronze in doubles, beating French duo Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra in Saturday's finals. Bob and Mike, both '00, came back from a loss in the first set to win the next two. "We're leaving China on a high," Mike said.
Track and Field: On Friday, in women's shot put, Jill Camarena, '04, qualified for the final by throwing 18.51 meters,her best result of the season. She came in 12th overall with 18.24 meters in the final. Michael Robertson, '06, competed in discus, but his 61.64 meter finish failed to qualify him for the final. Leila Ben-Youssef, '04, MA '05, pole vaulted for Tunisia but didn't advance to the event final.
Volleyball: The U.S. men dealt the host nation an easy defeat, winning 3-0 over China on Friday evening. They continued with a 3-0 victory over Japan on Monday morning. Gabe Gardner, '99, played in all six sets, successfully spiking four points in the Japan game. Kevin Hansen, '04, MA '05, gave the team eight assists against Japan. In women's volleyball, Sunday saw the U.S. beat Poland in five sets as the countries alternated victories. Leading the team in scoring was Logan Tom, '03, securing 25 points through 18 kills, six blocks and an ace; Ogonna Nnanami, '05, smashed 11 kills and led the team in aces, serving three.
Water polo: It was an exciting weekend for the U.S. men's water polo team, who are becoming something of a Cinderella story. They have defied expectations, earning an automatic berth in the semifinals, and defeating reigning world champions Croatia 7-5 on Friday night. Sunday night's 8-7 victory against Germany sweetened the run. Captain Tony Azevedo, '04, netted three goals against Croatia. Layne Beaubien, '98, Pete Varellas, '06, MS '08, and Peter Hudnut, '03, had significant pool time in both games. They will play in Friday's semifinal.
AUGUST 15:
Baseball: Cuba remains undefeated after beating the U.S. team 5-4 in 11 innings. John Gall, '00, and the rest of the Americans go into the fourth day of competition with a 1-2 record.
Basketball: The New Zealand women's team, including Jillian Harmon, '09, and Clare Bodensteiner, '07, MA '07, suffered a 90-54 defeat against the Czech Republic. The team next plays on Sunday, facing the United States.
Beach Volleyball: Kerri Walsh, '00, and Misty May-Treanor had to fight a little harder than usual to win their first set against Belgium, prevailing 24-22, but the duo still secured a two-set victory.
Rowing: In the men's quadruple sculls semifinal, Jamie Schroeder, '04, MA '05, and his teammates rowed for second in their heat, a result which sends the U.S. boat to Sunday's A final where they will compete for a medal. Sabrina Kolker, '03, MA '03, and her teammate in the Canadian women's pair boat took third in Final B. David Banks, '05, and the rest of the U.S. men's 4 boat took third in Final B.
Soccer: The U.S. women defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime, in a game interrupted for nearly two hours by a thunderstorm. Rachel Buehler, '07, Nicole Barnhart, '04, and the rest of the team now advance to the semifinals.
Softball: Jessica Mendoza, '02, MA '03, hit a pair of two-run homers in a 7-0 win over Japan. The U.S. team also defeated Canada 8-1, in the completion of Thursday's rain-interrupted game. The U.S. trailed 1-0 until the sixth inning but rallied for eight runs in the last two innings.
Swimming: Jason Dunford, '09, finished less than half a second behind the top time in the 100-meter butterfly semifinals. His fifth-place overall finish sends him to Friday's final. Markus Rogan, '04, placed fourth in the final of the 200-meter backstroke, meaning the two-time medalist at the Athens game leaves Beijing empty-handed. Ben Wildman-Tobriner, '07, qualified for Friday's final in the 50-meter freestyle. All finalists finished the semifinals within half a second of each other.
Tennis: The Swiss doubles team, which includes five-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, gave Bob and Mike Bryan, both '00, their first defeat of the tournament. The brothers play France in Saturday's bronze medal match.
Track and Field: Erica McLain, '08, made 13.52 meters in the triple jump qualifiers, not far enough to compete in the event finals.
Volleyball: The U.S. women secured a close victory in their highly-anticipated match against China, winning in the fifth set. The win sends Logan Tom, '03, Ogonna Nnamani, '05, and the rest of the team to the quarterfinals.
Water polo: Captain Brenda Villa, '02, and Alison Gregorka, '07, each scored two goals and Jessica Steffens, '09, scored one in the U.S. team's 12-7 victory over Russia. The team now heads to the semifinals.
AUGUST 14:
Beach volleyball: The wins keep piling up for Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, '00, who defeated Norway in the third round of the preliminaries.
Baseball: John Gall, '00, scored two runs in the U.S. team's 7-0 win over the Netherlands.
Cycling: Wednesday's women's time trial saw Christine Thorburn, MD '99, place fifth, finishing the 14.6-mile race in just under 35 minutes.
Swimming: A bronze medal goes to Julia Smit, '10, for the 4x200-meter relay. Although she did not swim the final, the U.S. team she helped qualify took third. Smit received a silver for helping to qualify the 4x100-meter team. Elaine Breeden, '10, placed seventh in the finals of the 200-meter butterfly. In the men's 100-meter butterfly, Kenya's Jason Dunford, '09, won his qualifying heat by briefly setting an Olympic record (which was broken two heats later). He goes into Thursday's semifinals with the fourth-best overall time. Ben Wildman-Tobriner, '07, tied for the third-fastest time overall in the 50-meter freestyle heats and advances to Thursday night's semis. David Dunford, '10, Jason's brother, swam the event for Kenya. He won his heat but didn't qualify for the semifinals. Markus Rogan, '04, qualified for Thursday's finals in the 200-meter backstroke but Tobias Oriwol, '06, did not.
Tennis: The Bryan twins have earned the chance to compete for a medal. Their quick Thursday morning quarterfinal defeat of the Australian doubles team sends Bob and Mike, both '00, to tomorrow's semifinals.
Volleyball: The U.S. men's team dealt Bulgaria their first defeat of the tournament. Bulgaria took the first set in a 29-27 struggle, but the Americans won the next three. Kevin Hansen, '04, MA '05, saw court time in the first and third set. The team plays China on Saturday.
Water polo: The U.S. men suffered their first defeat of the Games at the hands of Serbia, 4-2. Peter Varellas, '06, MS '08, scored both of the team's goals.
AUGUST 13:
Baseball: John Gall, '00, and the rest of the U.S. team fought hard but lost 8-7 to South Korea.
Basketball: The New Zealand team fell to China 80-63 in Wednesday's contest. Jillian Harmon, '09, scored 14 points for the Tall Ferns.
Rowing: The U.S. men's 4 boat, including David Banks, '05, finished fifth in their heat of the semifinals and are no longer in contention for a medal. They will race with the B group in Thursday's final.
Soccer: The tournament has ended for the New Zealand men's team, which needed a victory against Belgium to stay in the running. Hampered in part by the absence of captain Ryan Nelsen, '03, the team lost 3-0. Nelsen's contract with the Blackburn Rovers demanded his return to train with the club. Simon Elliott, '01, played every minute of New Zealand's three Olympic matches.
Softball: Another victory for the U.S. team, which beat Australia 3-0. Jessica Mendoza, '02, MA '03, contributed one hit and one run to the win.
Swimming: Elaine Breeden, '10, placed sixth in her heat and eighth overall during the 200-meter butterfly semifinals, advancing to Wednesday evening's finals. Austrian competitor Markus Rogan, '04, swam the third-fastest time in the heats of the 200-meter breaststroke, his signature event. Both he and Tobias Oriwol, '06, who competes for Canada, will swim in the semifinals Wednesday evening. Julia Smit, '10, swam the fastest leg of the U.S. 4x200-meter relay team's performance; their second place overall finish sends them to Wednesday night's final.
Tennis: The Bryan brothers (Bob and Mike, both '00, won 7-6, 6-4 in Wednesday's second round of the doubles tournament, against a duo from Austria. They next face Australia in the quarterfinals.
Volleyball: Ogonna Nnamani, '05, Logan Tom, '03, and the rest of the women's squad defeated Venezuela on Tuesday evening. Venezuela won the second game but the U.S. handily swept the first, third and fourth. Both ex-Cardinal players saw court time, with Tom notching 12 "kills."
Water polo: The women's team's match against Italy ended in a 9-9 tie. Brenda Villa, '02, scored twice and Alison Gregorka, '07, and Jessica Steffens, '09, each scored once.
AUGUST 12:
Beach volleyball: Another victory notch for Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, '00. The duo easily finished off Cuba 21-15, 21-16 in their second Olympic match.
Rowing: Lindsay Meyer, '11, and the rest of the U.S. women's quadruple sculls boat earned a berth at the event final during Monday's repechage. Sabrina Kolker, '03, MA '03, did not fare as well; her Canadian women's pair boat will next race in group B, ending their medal hopes.
Soccer: The U.S. women advanced to the top of their group after a 4-0 victory over New Zealand. Playing the full 90 minutes were Ali Riley, '10, for the Kiwis and Rachel Buehler, '07, for the Americans. Buehler assisted on her team's second goal.
Softball: The U.S. demolished Venezuela 11-0 in the team's opening match of the Games. Jessica Mendoza, '02, MA '03, brought home one run in the fourth inning.
Swimming: Racing the 100-meter freestyle for Kenya was Jason Dunford, '09. Dunford won his heat but his performance was ranked 24th overall, not high enough to advance to the semifinals. Phillip Morrison, '08, swam the third leg for Brazil's 4x200-meter relay team, but their finish will not send them to the finals. Elaine Breeden, '10, placed ninth overall in the qualifying heats of the 200-meter butterfly and will swim in Tuesday evening's semifinals.
Tennis: Doubles players (and twin brothers) Bob Bryan, '00, and Mike Bryan, '00, turned in a quick 6-2, 6-1 victory against the Bahamas in their opening match Monday evening. Their next match is against Austria.
Water polo: The U.S. men's team fought hard to eke out a narrow victory against Italy, 12-11. Tony Azevedo, '04, scored two goals, while Pete Hudnut, '03, and Layne Beaubien, '98, each scored one.
AUGUST 11:
Basketball: Friday's women's game between New Zealand and Mali saw Jillian Harmon, '09, score 12 points and snare 8 rebounds; the Tall Ferns won 76-72. In New Zealand's second game, an 85-62 loss to Spain on Sunday, Harmon led the team with 22 points. Clare Bodensteiner, '07, MA '07, also played for New Zealand in both games.
Beach volleyball: It was an easy victory against Japan on Saturday for Kerri Walsh, '00, and Misty May-Treanor. The 21-12, 21-15 match was the 102nd consecutive win for the duo, who brought home the gold from Athens in 2004.
Cycling: The 78.5-mile women's race went on through Sunday's dismal rains, with Christine Thorburn, MD '99, finishing 52nd, 8 minutes, 44 seconds behind gold medalist Nicole Cooke of Great Britain.
Rowing: David Banks, '05, and the rest of the U.S. men's four-person boat took third in Saturday's first heat, earning a berth in Wednesday's semifinals. Canada's entry in the women's pair competition, featuring Sabrina Kolker, '03, MA '03, finished fifth in their first heat. Jamie Schroeder, '04, MA '05, rowed with the men's quadruple sculls; the team finished third and will go to the semifinals. The women's quadruple sculls (including Lindsay Meyer, '11) also finished third but must head to the repechage to vie for a semifinals berth. Good news for the Canadian men and the U.S. women in the 8 boats, respectively, featuring Adam Kreek, '06, and Elle Logan, '10. Both teams got second-fastest times in their event and will row the finals.
Soccer: Rachel Buehler, '07, appeared in the U.S. team's 1-0 victory over Japan. New Zealand lost 1-0 to Norway; Ali Riley, '10, played the whole game. Ryan Nelsen, '03, and Simon Elliott, '01, both played the full 90 minutes for New Zealand in its 5-0 loss to Brazil.
Swimming: Elaine Breeden, '10, swam the sixth-fastest time in the qualifying heats for the 100-meter butterfly, advancing her to the semifinals. Her next time was not good enough for the finals, however. Julia Smit, '10, swam as part of the 4x100-meter relay squad in the semifinals--in which the U.S. finished third--but wasn't selected to race in the final. In the men's 4x100 relay, Ben Wildman-Tobriner, '07, and the other three members of the U.S. team set a new world record of 3:12.23 during the semifinals. Wildman-Tobriner did not race in the finals, which the Americans won. Markus Rogan, '04, did not advance to the finals of the 100-meter backstroke, the same event in which he won the silver medal in Athens.
Volleyball: The U.S. women, including Ogonna Nnamani, '05, and Logan Tom, '03, defeated Japan 3-1 on Saturday but lost their next match 3-0 to Cuba. The men fought for a close victory against Venezuela; Kevin Hansen, '04, MA '05, saw significant time on the court.
Water polo: Both U.S. teams won opening matches against China. The men's squad beat the host nation 8-4, with captain Tony Azevedo, '04, scoring 5 goals and Layne Beaubien, '98, scoring 2. Pete Varellas, '06, MS '08, and Peter Hudnut, '03, also played. The women also beat China, squeezing out a 12-11 victory. Alison Gregorka, '07, Jessica Steffens, '09, and captain Brenda Villa, '02, all saw time in the pool.
AUGUST 7:
The athletics department has released a comprehensive schedule of the Olympic events featuring Stanford athletes. Check it out here.
Gymnastics: The past two weeks have been disappointing for men's alternate Dave Durante. When both Paul and Morgan Hamm withdrew from the team due to injuries, there was hope that Durante, '02, would compete in one of their places, but unfortunately both spots have gone to other alternates.
Soccer: Stanford has two alumni playing for New Zealand's men's team: Simon Elliott, '01, and captain Ryan Nelsen, '03. Thursday's match against China ended in a 1-1 draw. On Wednesday the Kiwi women, including Ali Riley, '10, tied with Japan 2-2, while the U.S. women lost to Norway 2-0, a game in which Nicole Barnhart, '04, and Rachel Buehler, '07, didn't play.
August 4:
With the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Games just days away, the current roster of Stanford athletes heading for the Olympics numbers 46. See the complete list here.
Paralympics: The American adaptive rowing team will include two additional Stanford athletes. Ron Harvey, MS '94, will row the arms-only single sculls event, and incoming medical student Jesse Karmazin will row with the legs-trunk-arms four-person boat.
Swimming: Jessica Hardy, the swimmer who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, has withdrawn from the US team, but it looks like her spot won't go to Tara Kirk, as had been hoped. In her blog, Kirk writes, "I am frustrated and disillusioned. But most of all, I am saddened that the people and organizations that I gave a huge part of my life to couldn't bring themselves to do the right thing."
JULY 28:
Track and Field: Arantxa King, '11, will compete for Bermuda in the long jump event.
JULY 23:
Paralympics: Stanford athletes will be competing at the 2008 Paralympic Games, taking place September 6-27 in Beijing. Current medical student Cheri Blauwet, who brought home a gold and two bronzes from the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, will compete in wheelchair racing. Simona Chin Campbell, '02, will be coxswain of Team USA's 4+ boat. This will be the Paralympics' first rowing competition.
JULY 17:
Baseball: Outfielder John Gall, '00, has been named to the United States baseball team. Gall plays professionally for the Triple-A Albuquerque minor league team in the Florida Marlins organization.
Swimming: Officials in Austria have nominated Markus Rogan, '04, to their team. Rogan brought home two silver medals from the 2004 Athens Games in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke. Elsewhere in the world, Phillip Morrison, '08, will swim for Brazil, and Tobias Oriwol, '06, for Canada.
Track and Field: Pole vaulting for the Tunisian team will be Leila Ben-Youssef, '04, MA '05.
Volleyball: USA Volleyball has released the official 2008 women's roster, which includes (in addition to Ogonna Nnamani, announced yesterday) Logan Tom, '03. This is Tom's third trip to the Games and Nnamani's second.
On the Air: The roster of commentators for NBC's 2008 Olympics broadcasts includes several affiliates of Cardinal athletics. Yaz Farooq, women's crew head coach, will be on-air analyst for rowing. Heather Olson, '99, will provide commentary for synchronized swimming; she is head coach of Stanford's team. Wolf Wigo, '97, is announcing water polo, which he played at Stanford. Providing general news at the sports desk will be former soccer player Julie Foudy, '93.
JULY 16:
Soccer: The New Zealand Olympic Committee has confirmed Ali Riley, '10, as a member of the country's women's squad.
Volleyball: USA Volleyball has finalized the 12-member men's indoor team, which includes both Gabe Gardner, '99, and Kevin Hansen, '04, MA '05. Stanford has learned that the women's team will include Ogonna Nnamani, '05; news about other Cardinal women on the preliminary squad will be announced when USA Volleyball releases the official roster later this week.
JULY 11:
Basketball: Stanford fan favorite Candice Wiggins, '08, was not among the final three members chosen for the U.S. women's squad this week. Former teammates Jilian Harmon, '09, and Clare Bodensteiner, '07, MA '07, will play for New Zealand.
Beach Volleyball: The duo of Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, '00, currently ranked No. 1 in the world, will play for the United States at the Games. This will be Walsh's third Olympic appearance, and her second with May-Treanor; the two brought home the gold from Athens.
Crew: Sabrina Kolker, '03, MA '03, will represent Canada at her second Olympics, rowing in the women's pair event.
Cycling: Christine Thorburn, MD '99, will switch from practicing rheumatology in Palo Alto to practicing bike handling in Beijing this August for her second trip to the Olympics. The full-time physician will compete in the road race and time trial events.
Wrestling: 2004 bronze medalist Patricia Miranda, '01, MA '02, suffered a stunning upset at the hands of Clarissa Chun and won't be heading to Beijing.
On the Farm: Both the men's and women's swimming squads are training at Avery Aquatic Center until July 25, when they'll head to Singapore for further practice. Their on-campus sessions are closed to the public. A capacity crowd, however, turned out to watch the U.S. women's water polo team defeat archrival Australia 7-5 on Thursday at Avery.
JULY 7:
Track and Field: Team trials in Oregon have finished for the 21 Cardinal athletes vying for Olympics berths. Jill Camarena, '04, made a post-surgery comeback and finished third in shot put with a throw of 59-5½, securing a place on the team. Joining her will be Michael Robertson, '06, who finished second in the discus finals with a toss of 209-01. Less fortunate was Sydney competitor Gabe Jennings, '01, whose ninth place finish in the 1500-meter failed to earn him a return trip to the Games.
Swimming: Stanford junior Elaine Breeden will represent the U.S. in Beijing this summer, swimming the 100- and 200-meter butterfly. For the men, Ben Wildman-Tobriner, '07, featured at left, will compete in the 50-meter free and as a member of the 4 x 100 relay pool. Forty current and former Stanford swimmers competed at the trials.
JULY 3:
Track and Field: Ian Dobson, '04, placed third in the final of the men's 5,000 meter race at Monday's qualifying event, earning a ticket to Beijing. The trials continue through Sunday, with Cardinal athletes still competing.
Swimming: Good news and bad news from Omaha for Stanford's competitors in USA Swimming's team trials. Julia Smit, '10, has been named as one of the initial eight members of the women's squad and will compete in the 800-meter relay. For Athens silver medalist Tara Kirk, '04, MA '05, however, the trials have ended in disappointment. Kirk missed qualifying in her signature event, the 100-meter breaststroke, by one 100th of a second. A subsequent 32nd-place finish in the 200-meter means she'll be staying home in August. "Today, despair lies on me like an avalanche," she wrote in her blog.
JULY 2:
Water Polo: Seven current and former Stanford water polo players will compete for the United States at the Beijing Games. Three-time Olympian Tony Azevedo, '04 (right), will captain the men's squad, which includes Layne Beaubien, '98, Peter Hudnut, '03, and Peter Varellas, '06, MS '08. Brenda Villa, '02, will captain the women's team, which includes Alison Gregorka, '07, and Jessica Steffens, '09.
JUNE 30:
Crew: Five current and former Stanford rowers have been named to the Olympic rowing teams of the United States and Canada, marking Stanford Rowing's greatest representation ever at an Olympic Games. For the United States, Elle Logan, '10, will be part of the women's eight boat; Lindsay Meyer, '11, will be a member of the women's quadruple sculls boat; repeat Olympian Jamie Schroeder, '05, will row on the men's quadruple sculls boat; and David Banks, '05, will be the bowman of the men's four boat. Adam Kreek, '06, will make his second Olympic appearance as part of Canada's men's eight.
Track and field: Erica McLain, '08, made the Olympic team with a third-place finish in the triple jump (45-9.75) at the track and field trials. The trials continue today, with several Stanford athletes competing.
JUNE 27:
Women's soccer: Goalie Nicole Barnhart, '04, and defender Rachel Buehler, '07, have earned spots on the 18-member U.S. squad.
Men's gymnastics: David Durante, '02, has made the U.S. roster as an alternate. David Sender's bid for a medical waiver has been denied. Sender, '08, won the all-around title at the U.S. Championships a month ago, but could not compete at the Olympic trials due to a sprained ankle. "It sucks not being able to make the team," Sender told the San Francisco Chronicle. "You work your whole life for this and it comes down to a freak accident the day before trials."
Men's tennis: Top-ranked duo Bob and Mike Bryan, both '00, will headline doubles play for the United States. The twins have won every major doubles competition except the Olympics.
JOHN MAAS, '08, is Stanford's editorial intern.
