UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – As the start of the Paris 2024 Olympics draws close, Penn State will have a strong presence with a school-record 30 current and former student-athletes or club athletes representing 13 countries when the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad begin competition. Additionally, two current assistant coaches are competing for two different countries, seven current coaches are serving as personal coaches, and two former student-athletes will travel to Paris as alternates for Team USA. For exclusive content and information on Penn State's Olympians, visit GoPSUsports.com's Olympics website.
The Opening Ceremonies for the Paris 2024 Olympics take place Friday, July 26 and the closing ceremonies are Sunday, August 11. The first Penn Stater in action was current Nittany Lion men’s soccer star Momo Cisset when the Mali team tied Israel,1-1, Wednesday.
Not including the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, where 65 countries did not participate, Penn State has sent athletes to each Summer Olympic Games since 1948, a streak of 19 consecutive Games.
This year, Penn State’s 30 representatives at the Olympics shatters its previous school record for one Olympics, as the Nittany Lions previously saw 23 athletes and coaches on the world stage at the Tokyo 2020 Games.
The 2024 Nittany Lion contingent consists of 27 athletes in eight sports, including both male and female competitors in swimming, volleyball, fencing and soccer. Penn State is also sending 14 additional representatives to Paris, including team physician in women's gymnastics, a team scout in women’s basketball, a head coach in men’s basketball, seven personal coaches in track & field and wrestling, a pair of current assistant coaches competing for different countries, and two provisional athletes for a total of 10 sports with Penn State representation.
Penn State's contingent of U.S. Olympians ranks third in the 18-team Big Ten conference and tied for fourth nationally.
Penn State's 2024 Olympians include:
20 former student-athletes competing (12 USA, 2 Mexico, 1 Ivory Coast, 1 Bermuda, 1 Germany, 1 Canada, 1 Philippines, 1 Ireland)
6 current student-athletes competing (1 USA, 1 Bermuda, 1 Mali, 1 Chile, 1 St. Vincent & the Grenadines, 1 Italy)
1 former club student competing (USA)
2 current coaches competing (1 Haiti, 1 Poland)
1 former student-athlete coaching (Japan)
7 current coaches serving as personal coaches (3 track & field, 4 wrestling)
1 former student-athlete serving as team scout (USA)
1 former student-athlete serving as team physician (USA)
2 former student-athletes on traveling roster as provisional or alternate (USA)
Men's volleyball standout Matt Anderson is competing in his fourth Olympic Games after appearances in the London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020 Games. Three Penn Staters are making their third Olympic Games appearance after competing in Rio in 2016 as well as Tokyo in 2021: Max Holt (men's volleyball), Joe Kovacs (men's track & field) and Alyssa Naeher (women's soccer).
Men's basketball letterman Tom Hovasse is in his third Olympic Games, this time as the head coach of Japan's men's basketball team following two appearances as the nation’s women’s head coach. Former Penn State women’s basketball star Tanisha Wright is serving as a scout for team USA while former women's gymnastics standout Dr. Ellen Casey is the women's gymnastics team physician for the United States.
Two current Nittany Lion assistant coaches will continue their competitive careers in Paris. Fencer Renata Knapik-Miazga of Poland will compete for her country in foil while Lynnzee Brown is set to become the first Haitian gymnast ever to compete in the Olympics.
In addition to Brooks, Retherford and Bravo-Young, Kyle Snyder (USA) and Kyle Dake (USA) will be representing Nittany Lion Wrestling Club in Paris.
The 22 first-time Olympians boost Penn State's total to 143 all-time competitors or coaches (not selections).
Penn State has won 43 medals, including nine gold-medal efforts, from its 121 previous Olympic athletes. The Nittany Lions' previous record contingent of athletes at the Tokyo Games won four gold, one silver, and one bronze medal. David Taylor (wrestling, USA), Micha Hancock (volleyball, USA), Haleigh Washington (volleyball, USA), and Erin McLeod (soccer, Canada) took home gold medals while Joe Kovacs (track & field, USA) won silver, and Alyssa Naeher (soccer, USA) collected bronze.