MPSF Accumulates 59 Medals in Paris Olympics
Current and former athletes and coaches with roots to the MPSF achieved 59 medals in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, which included nine gold, 14 silver, and 36 bronze medals, combined across 22 universities, 19 nations, and 13 sports which featured the conference in the 33rd Olympiad. The 59 medals earned are the fourth-most across all NCAA Conferences (according to ncaa.org on August 12), and surpasses the 35 medals won in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
The MPSF Gold Medalists included former Stanford weight throw first team All-American Valarie Allman (USA), repeating her discus title (69.50) from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In a stunning come-from-behind effort on the track, former Oregon standout Cole Hocker (USA) took down the defending champion’s all-time Olympic record to win the 1500 meter (3:27.65). Camryn Rogers (Canada) became the first track & field athlete from the University of California (MPSF Indoor Throws, 2018-21) to win an Olympic Gold since 1972, taking first-place in the hammer throw.
UC Irvine’s Kevin Tillie (France), who won back-to-back NCAA titles (2012-13) while the Anteaters competed in MPSF Men’s Volleyball, earned a gold with his nation’s 3-0 result over top-ranked Poland.
Among MPSF ties, USC won five of the MPSF’s nine gold medals. Rai Benjamin (USA) was the MPSF’s lone double gold medalist, taking titles in the 400 hurdles and 4x400 relays. Fellow former Trojans Twanisha Terry (USA) and Andre De Grasse (Canada) ran for first-place 4x100 relay teams, while Spain’s Anni Espar captured a gold in women’s water polo.
The silver medalists for the MPSF included the mixed triathlon pair of Cal Poly’s Taylor Spivey (2009-14) and Colorado’s Morgan Pearson (2013-16) as part of the United States quartet. Spivey, making her Olympic debut, swam for Cal Poly in the initial years of MPSF Swimming & Diving. She also registered a top-10 individual triathlon finish while in Paris. Pearson was an All-American distance athlete for Colorado, and recorded a pair of Podium results during his career in the MPSF Men’s Indoor Track & Field Championships. Former BYU distance runner Kenneth Rooks placed second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, becoming the third American male to medal in the event since 1984.
The USA Artistic Swimming team also took home the silver, a squad which included incoming Stanford competitors Audrey Kwon, Megumi Field, and Calista Liu. A member of the MPSF’s first-ever conference championship team in 2022, former Cardinal Jacklyn Luu also participated.
Sienna Green and Bronte Halligan of UCLA, and Tilly Kearns of USC, helped Australia to a silver medal in women’s water polo. Green and Kearns are current student-athletes in the MPSF.
On the final day of the Olympics, USA Women’s Volleyball earned the silver, with Marv Dunphy (former Pepperdine Head Coach) and Alfee Reft (former Hawaii Men’s Volleyball player) on staff.
The MPSF Olympic Bronze Medals were highlighted by current Stanford Men’s Gymnast Asher Hong and former Cardinal Brody Malone, competing on the first USA team with a podium finish since 2008. Hong and Malone have combined to earn the last six MPSF Gymnast of the Year awards, with Hong honored the last two years (2023-24) and Malone the previous four (2019-22).
The USA Men’s Water Polo team, which also medaled for the first time since 2008 by virtue of outlasting Hungary in a penalty shootout, was made up of a roster featuring all 13 athletes plus one coach with an MPSF connection. Included in that mix were brothers Chase (current) and Ryder Dodd (incoming) of UCLA.
Former Stanford student-athlete Grant Fisher, who broke the U.S. Collegiate Indoor 3,000-meter record while competing in MPSF Men’s Indoor Track & Field in 2019, took third-place in both the 10,000 and 5,000-meter. He became just the second American to medal in the 10,000 since 1964, and was one of three former MPSF athletes to double-medal. Along with Fisher and Benjamin, Nicole Yeargin (Great Britain) took home multiple medals, with a third-place and national record 4x400 mixed relay as well as a bronze in the 4x400 relay.
Current MPSF staff members who served as head coaches for United States bronze medal teams include back-to-back NCAA Champion (2023-24) John Speraw of UCLA, leading a second bronze in the last three Olympic Games, and University of Washington Head Coach Michael Callahan who led the men’s eight boat to its first Olympic rowing medal in 16 years.
The MPSF was represented in Paris by 138 athletes and coaches with current or former ties to the 32-year-old NCAA Conference, including 123 athletes and 15 coaches. According to ncaa.org (as of August 11), the 123 athletes and 138 total conference representatives placed the MPSF fourth across the NCAA in the 33rd Olympiad. Eight of the nineteen current or incoming MPSF student-athletes who were 2024 Olympians brought home a medal. 2024 MPSF Olympians combined for 87 NCAA Championships (led by Stanford with 25), including four in the most recent 2023-24 year. Of the 22 MPSF schools featured in the Olympics, and within the MPSF footprint, Stanford totaled a high of 16 medals. USC and UCLA were next in line with 12 and 10, respectively.
Men’s Water Polo, along with men’s volleyball, men’s gymnastics, and men’s and women’s indoor track & field, are the five sports the MPSF has sponsored since the inception of the conference, each of which featured numerous MPSF Olympians. Further MPSF Olympic Information, including medal results, may be found on the conference website (mpsports.org) and on social media (@MPSFSports).
MPSF IN 2024 PARIS OLYMPICS
TOTAL MEDALS: 59
Gold: 9
Silver: 14
Bronze: 36
*Current/Incoming MPSF Student-Athlete
# Current MPSF Coach
School MPSF Sport Country
Arizona
Gia Trevisan Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2014-16) Italy
Result: 6th (4x400 Mixed Relay)
Karolina Pahlitzsch Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2017-19) Germany
Edgar Rivera-Morales Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2010-13) Mexico
Arizona State (Bronze-2)
Bente Rogge Women’s Water Polo (2017-21) Netherlands
Medal: Bronze
Lieke Rogge Women’s Water Polo (2019) Netherlands
Medal: Bronze
Blaire McDowell Women’s Water Polo (2019-22) Canada
Result: 8th
Mia Rycraw Women’s Water Polo (2014-18) France
Beatrice Llano Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2018-19) Norway
Result: 15th (Hammer Throw)
BYU (Silver-1, Bronze-1)
Courtney Wayment Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2016-22) USA
Result: 12th (3,000 Steeplechase)
Whittni Morgan Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2017-21) USA
Result: 14th (5,000)
James Corrigan Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2022) USA
Clayton Young Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2015-18) USA
Result: 9th (Marathon)
Kenneth Rooks Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2019-23) USA
Medal: Silver (3,000 Steeplechase)
Conner Mantz Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2017-21) USA
Result: 8th (Marathon)
Rory Linkletter Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2014-19) Canada
Result: 47th (Marathon)
Mike Wall Men’s Volleyball (1999-02) USA (Assistant Coach)
Medal: Bronze
Cal Poly (Silver-1)
Taylor Spivey Women’s Swimming (2009-14) USA
Medal: Silver (Mixed Relay Triathlon)
Result: 10th (Individual)
California (Gold-1, Bronze-4)
Camryn Rogers Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2018-21) Canada
Medal: Gold (Hammer Throw)
Kitty Lynn Joustra Women’s Water Polo (2018-21) Netherlands
Medal: Bronze
Emma Wright Women’s Water Polo (2017-19) Canada
Result: 8th
Kindred Paul Women’s Water Polo (2015-18) Canada
Result: 8th
Luca Cupido Men’s Water Polo (2014-17) USA
Medal: Bronze
Johnny Hooper Men’s Water Polo (2015-18) USA
Medal: Bronze
Adrian Weinberg Men’s Water Polo (2019-23) USA
Medal: Bronze
Nikolaos Papanikolaou Men’s Water Polo (2019-23) Greece
Result: 5th
*Angus Dawson Men’s Rowing (2020-Present) Australia
Result: 6th (Men’s Eight)
*Frederik Breuer Men’s Rowing (2021-Present) Germany
Result: 4th (Men’s Eight)
*Tim Roth Men’s Rowing (2022-Present) Switzerland
Result: 9th (Men’s Four)
*Gennaro di Mauro Men’s Rowing (2022-Present) Italy
Chris Oeding Men’s Water Polo (1989-92) USA (WWP Coach)
Result: 4th
Colorado (Silver-1)
Val Constien Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2014-18) USA
Result: 15th (3,000 Steeplechase)
Gabby Scott Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2016-19) Puerto Rico
Morgan Pearson Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2013-16) USA
Medal: Silver (Mixed Relay Triathlon)
Result: 31st (individual)
Hawaii (Silver-1, Bronze-1)
Taylor Averill Men’s Volleyball (2011-15) USA
Medal: Bronze
Alfee Reft Men’s Volleyball (2004-06) USA (Women’s VB Coach)
Medal: Silver
Micah Masei Men’s Swimming & Diving (2017-21) American Samoa
Result: 34th (100 breast)
Kane Follows Men’s Swimming & Diving (2016-20) New Zealand
Result: 21st (200 back)
33rd (100 back)
Laticia Transom Women’s Swimming & Diving (2023) New Zealand
Result: 8th (4x200 Free Relay)
Long Beach State (Bronze-2)
TJ DeFalco Men’s Volleyball (2016-19) USA
Medal: Bronze
Gavin Arroyo Men’s Water Polo Head Coach (2006-Present) USA (Assistant Coach)
Men’s Water Polo Athlete (California-1990-93)
Medal: Bronze
# LaTanya Sheffield Track & Field Head Coach (2013-Present) USA (Head Coach)
Oklahoma
*Emre Dodanli Men’s Gymnastics (2022-Present) Turkey
Oregon (Gold-1)
Cole Hocker Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2019-21) USA
Medal: Gold (1500)
Kyree King Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2017) USA
Alaysha Johnson Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2014-18) USA
Result: 7th (100 Hurdles)
Pacific (Bronze-1)
Alex Obert Men’s Water Polo (2010-15) USA
Medal: Bronze
Pepperdine (Silver-1)
Marv Dunphy Men’s Volleyball Head Coach (1977-2017) USA (WVB Consultant)
Medal: Silver
Portland
Anne Luijten Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2014-17) Netherlands
Result: 35th (Marathon)
Woody Kincaid Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2011-15) USA
Result: 16th (10,000)
San Francisco
Lea Meyer Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2018) Germany
Result: 10th (3,000 Steeplechase)
San Jose State
Rae Lekness Women’s Water Polo (2013-16) Canada
Result: 8th
Stanford (Gold-1, Silver-5, Bronze-10)
Jacklyn Luu Artistic Swimming (2017-22) USA
Medal: Silver (Team)
*Megumi Field Artistic Swimming (Incoming) USA
Medal: Silver (Team)
Result: 10th (Duet)
*Audrey Kwon Artistic Swimming (Incoming) USA
Medal: Silver (Team)
*Calista Liu Artistic Swimming (Incoming) USA
Medal: Silver (Team)
*Ryann Neushul Women’s Water Polo (2018-Present) USA
Result: 4th
*Jenna Flynn Women’s Water Polo (2023-Present) USA
Result: 4th
Jordan Raney Women’s Water Polo (2015-18) USA
Result: 4th
*Jewel Roemer Women’s Water Polo (2020-Present) USA
Result: 4th
Maggie Steffens Women’s Water Polo (2013-17) USA
Result: 4th
Dani Jackovich Women’s Water Polo (2014-17) Australia
Medal: Silver
*Serena Browne Women’s Water Polo (2023-Present) Canada
Result: 8th
*Juliette Dhalluin Women’s Water Polo (Incoming) France
Valarie Allman Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2015-18) USA
Medal: Gold (Discus)
Elise Cranny Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2014-19) USA
Result: 11th (5,000)
Fiona O’Keeffe Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2016-20) USA
Malindi Elmore Women’s Indoor Track & Field (1999-02) Canada
Result: 35th (Marathon)
Katerina Stefanidi Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2010-12) Greece
Result: 9th (Pole Vault)
Grant Fisher Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2015-19) USA
Medal: Bronze (10,000)
Medal: Bronze (5,000)
Harrison Williams Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2015-19) USA
Result: 7th (Decathlon)
Brody Malone Men’s Gymnastics (2019-23) USA
Medal: Bronze (Team)
*Asher Hong Men’s Gymnastics (2023-Present) USA
Medal: Bronze (Team)
Erik Shoji Men’s Volleyball (2008-12) USA
Medal: Bronze
Justin Lui Men’s Volleyball (2019-23) Canada
Ben Hallock Men’s Water Polo (2015-19) USA
Medal: Bronze
Dylan Woodhead Men’s Water Polo (2015-19) USA
Medal: Bronze
Drew Holland Men’s Water Polo (2012-17) USA
Medal: Bronze
Alex Bowen Men’s Water Polo (2010-14) USA
Medal: Bronze
Edrick Floreal Indoor Track & Field Head Coach (1998-2012) St. Lucia (Head Coach)
# Megan Abarca Artistic Swimming Head Coach (2012-Present) USA (Assistant Coach)
Matt Fuerbringer Men’s Volleyball (1994-97) USA (Assistant Coach)
Medal: Bronze
UC Irvine (Gold-1, Bronze-1)
David Smith Men’s Volleyball (2003-07) USA
Medal: Bronze
Kevin Tillie Men’s Volleyball (2012-13) France
Medal: Gold
Thomas Hodges Men’s Volleyball (2015-17) Australia (Beach Volleyball)
UCLA (Silver-2, Bronze-8)
Rachel Fattal Women’s Water Polo (2013-17) USA
Result: 4th
Maddie Musselman Women’s Water Polo (2017-22) USA
Result: 4th
Tara Prentice Women’s Water Polo (2017) USA
Result: 4th
*Sienna Green Women’s Water Polo (2023-Present) Australia
Medal: Silver
Bronte Halligan Women’s Water Polo (2017-19) Australia
Medal: Silver
Max Irving Men’s Water Polo (2014-17) USA
Medal: Bronze
*Chase Dodd Men’s Water Polo (2021-Present) USA
Medal: Bronze
*Ryder Dodd Men’s Water Polo (Incoming) USA
Medal: Bronze
Sondre Guttormsen Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2019) Norway
Result: 8th (Pole Vault)
Stamatia Scarvelis Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2016) Greece
Garrett Muagututia Men’s Volleyball (2007-10) USA
Medal: Bronze
Micah Ma’a Men’s Volleyball (2015-19) USA
Medal: Bronze
Miles Partain Men’s Volleyball (2020-22) USA (Beach Volleyball)
Result: Quarterfinal
# Jon Speraw Men’s Volleyball Head Coach (2013-Present) USA (Head Coach)
Men’s Volleyball Head Coach (UCI, 2003-12)
Men’s Volleyball Assistant Coach (1996-02)
Men’s Volleyball Athlete (1992-95)
Medal: Bronze
Adam Krikorian Women’s Water Polo Head Coach (1999-09) USA (Head Coach)
Men’s Water Polo Athlete (1992-95)
Result: 4th
Molly Cahill Women’s Water Polo Assistant Coach (2008-17) USA (Assistant Coach)
Women’s Water Polo Athlete (2004-07)
Result: 4th
Erik Sullivan Men’s Volleyball (1992-95) USA (Team Manager)
Medal: Bronze
Andrea Becker Men’s Volleyball (2013-15) USA (Mental Performance)
Men’s Volleyball (UCI, 2012)
Medal: Bronze
UC Santa Barbara
Miles Evans Men’s Volleyball (2011-13) USA (Beach Volleyball)
Result: Round of 16
USC (Gold-5, Silver-2, Bronze-5)
Anna Cockrell Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2017-21) USA
Medal: Silver (400 Hurdles)
Kendall Ellis Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2014-18) USA
Twanisha Terry Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2018-21) USA
Medal: Gold (4x100 Relay)
Result: 5th (100)
Kyra Constantine Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2017-21) Canada
Result: 6th (4x400 Relay)
Nicole Yeargin Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2020-21) Great Britain
Medal: Bronze (4x400 Mixed Relay)
Medal: Bronze (4x400 Relay)
Amalie Iuel Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2014-17) Norway
Lanae-Tava Thomas Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2019-21) Jamaica
Ayden Owens-Delerme Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2019) Puerto Rico
Result: 9th (Decathlon)
Rai Benjamin Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2017-18) USA
Medal: Gold (400 Hurdles)
Medal: Gold (4x400 Relay)
Michael Norman Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2016-18) USA
Result: 8th (400M)
Andre De Grasse Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2015-16) Canada
Medal: Gold (4x100 Relay)
Result: 12th (100)
Tade Ojora Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2019-23) Great Britain
*Tilly Kearns Women’s Water Polo (2019-Present) Australia
Medal: Silver
Verica Bakoc Women’s Water Polo (2018-21) Canada
Result: 8th
Hayley McKelvey Women’s Water Polo (2015-18) Canada
Result: 8th
Amanda Longan Women’s Water Polo (2016-19) USA
Result: 4th
Kaleigh Gilchrist Women’s Water Polo (2011-14) USA
Result: 4th
*Emily Ausmus Women’s Water Polo (Incoming) USA
Result: 4th
Anni Espar Women’s Water Polo (2013) Spain
Medal: Gold
Blake Edwards Men’s Water Polo (2015-17) Australia
Result: 8th
Lachlan Edwards Men’s Water Polo (2014-17) Australia
Result: 8th
Nic Porter Men’s Water Polo (2018-21) Australia
Result: 8th
Jacob Mercep Men’s Water Polo (2018-21) Australia
Result: 8th
Kostas Genidounias Men’s Water Polo (2011-14) Greece
Result: 5th
Hannes Daube Men’s Water Polo (2018-21) USA
Medal: Bronze
Marko Vavic Men’s Water Polo (2017-18) USA
Medal: Bronze
Micah Christenson Men’s Volleyball (2011-15) USA
Medal: Bronze
Izac Carracher Men’s Volleyball (2019) Australia (Beach Volleyball)
Andy Benesh Men’s Volleyball (2013-17) USA (Beach Volleyball)
Result: Quarterfinal
Washington (Bronze-1)
Gianna Woodruff Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2012-15) Panama
Izzi Batt-Doyle Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2016-19) Australia
Sam Tanner Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2019-21) New Zealand
# Michael Callahan Men’s Rowing Head Coach (2008-Present) USA (Coach)
Medal: Bronze (Men’s Eight)
Washington State
CJ Allen Men’s Indoor Track & Field (2013-17) USA
Jasneet Nijjar Women’s Indoor Track & Field (2019-22) Canada