PARIS – A school-record 12 former Nittany Lion student-athletes won medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Penn Staters earned 13 total medals in Paris - two gold, three silver, and eight bronze - with United States gymnast Steven Nedoroscik leading the count with a pair of bronze medals to his name.
Highlighting the 2024 Olympics for Penn State was the gold-medal efforts for former Nittany Lion women’s soccer stars Alyssa Naeher and Sam Coffey, who helped the USWNT earn a 1-0 victory over Brazil in the gold medal match. Naeher’s strong effort in net was a big reason for the team’s success, as her clutch save in stoppage time prevented an equalizing goal from Brazil.
Nittany Lion student-athletes posted three silver-medal performances in Paris. Representing Team USA, Joe Kovacs claimed his third consecutive Olympic silver medal in the men’s shot put with a clutch throw in the sixth and final round of the event. Micha Hancock and Haleigh Washington’s efforts helped propel Team USA to a silver-medal finish in the women’s volleyball tournament. Washington started each of Team USA’s contests in Paris and played well as the squad’s primary middle blocker.
Penn State student-athletes won eight bronze medals in Paris, with Nedoroscik doing so in both the individual pommel horse event along with the team artistic gymnastics competition. The trio of Matt Anderson, Max Holt and Aaron Russell helped the United States men’s volleyball team claim bronze, while Kayla Cannett (Team USA, women’s rugby – sevens), Aaron Brooks (USA, wrestling) and Laura Freigang (Germany, women’s soccer) also earned bronze in their respective events.
The Nittany Lions boasted seven repeat medalists with the select group totaling 15 medals through three Olympiads. Kovacs’ back-to-back-to-back Olympic silvers in the men’s shot put give him the largest individual medal total among Penn State athletes competing in Paris.
Additionally, current Nittany Lion assistant fencing coach Renata Knapik-Miazga took bronze with Poland’s epee team and Nittany Lion Wrestling Club member Kyle Dake claimed bronze.
The 13 medals bring Penn State’s total medal count to 56 all-time, including 11 gold-medal efforts from its 143 Olympic athletes.
Penn State sent a school-record 30 current and former student-athletes or club athletes representing 13 countries to compete at the Paris Olympics. Among those, six current student-athletes represented their respective Nittany Lion teams in Paris.
For exclusive content and in-depth coverage of Penn State's Olympians, visit GoPSUsports.com's Olympics website.
Penn State’s Paris 2024 Olympians
Graduation Year or
Name (Result Link) Sport Country Last Year of Comp.
Jack Harvey Men’s Swimming Bermuda 2021-present
Emma Harvey Women’s Swimming Bermuda 2019-24
Shane Ryan Men’s Swimming Ireland 2012-17
Sam Zakutney Men’s Gymnastics Canada 2017-20
Eduardo Cisternas Men’s Swimming Chile 2022-present
Laura Freigang Women’s Soccer Germany 2016-17
Lynnzee Brown Women’s Gymnastics Haiti current assistant coach
Arianna Proietti Women’s Fencing Italy 2021-present
Cheickna Traore Men’s Track & Field Ivory Coast 2023-24
Momo Cisset Men’s Soccer Mali 2023-present
Roman Bravo-Young Men’s Wrestling Mexico 2019-23
Gabe Castano Men’s Swimming Mexico class of 2021
Samantha Catantan Women’s Fencing Philippines 2021-24
Renata Knapik-Miazga Women’s Fencing Poland current assistant coach
Handal Roban Men’s Track & Field SVG 2022-present
Aaron Brooks Men’s Wrestling USA 2020-24
Zain Retherford Men’s Wrestling USA 2014-18
Myles Chamley-Watson Men’s Fencing USA 2009-13
Margherita Guzzi Vincenti Women’s Fencing USA 2010-13
Joe Kovacs Men’s Track & Field USA 2008-11
Phia Gladieux Field Hockey USA 2020-present
Kayla Canett Women’s Rugby USA 2016-19
Haleigh Washington Women’s Volleyball USA 2014-17
Matt Anderson Men’s Volleyball USA 2006-08
Max Holt Men’s Volleyball USA 2006-09
Stephen Nedoroscik Men’s Gymnastics USA 2017-20
Alyssa Naeher Women’s Soccer USA 2006-09
Sam Coffey Women’s Soccer USA 2019-21
Aaron Russell Men’s Volleyball USA 2012-15
Micha Hancock Women’s Volleyball USA 2011-14
Team Personnel
Tom Hovasse – Head Coach Men’s Basketball Japan 1985-89
Tanisha Wright – Team Scout Women’s Basketball USA 2001-05
Ellen Casey – Team Physician Women’s Gymnastics USA 1996-99
Provisional Athletes/Alternates
Jenny Rizzo (provisional) Field Hockey USA 2015-18
Personal Coaches
Cael Sanderson Wrestling
Cody Sanderson Wrestling
Casey Cunningham Wrestling
Nick Lee Wrestling
Dane Miler Track & Field
Brandon Rizzo Track & Field
Ryan Foster Track & Field
Nittany Lion Wrestling Club Members
Kyle Snyder Men’s Wrestling USA
Kyle Dake Men’s Wrestling USA