LONDON – UCLA continued its strong Olympic tradition at the just-completed 2012 London Games. Of the 34 Bruins representing their respective countries at the Games, 12 came away medal-winners, including six gold medal athletes and two gold medal-winning coaches.
UCLA's all-time medal count now stands at an impressive 250 medals, half of which are gold.
The six gold medals in 2012 came in three team sports – women's soccer and women's water polo just minutes apart on Aug. 9 and men's basketball on Aug. 12. Representing UCLA on the USA women's soccer gold medal squad were Lauren Cheney, Sydney Leroux and assistant coach and former UCLA women's soccer head coach Jillian Ellis. The U.S. women won their third-straight Olympic gold, and it was the second-straight gold medal win for Cheney and Ellis.
Former UCLA player and coach Adam Krikorian guided the USA women's water polo team to its first-ever gold medal. Four-time NCAA champions Kelly Rulon and Courtney Mathewson were key players for the U.S. in London. Rulon's medal was the second in her career, as she has previously won bronze in 2004.
NBA All-Stars Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook represented UCLA on the USA men's basketball team, which won its second consecutive goal medal. Love and Westbrook became the ninth and 10th former UCLA men's basketball players to win an Olympic gold medal.
Earning silver medals were former UCLA rowing assistant coach Mark Hunter in the lightweight double sculls and Dawn Harper in the 100m hurdles with a personal best time. Both Hunter and Harper are now two-time Olympic medalists. Additionally, UCLA volleyball legend Karch Kiraly was an assistant coach for the USA women's volleyball team, which won the silver medal.
Junior Chelsea Stewart won the lone medal by a current UCLA student-athlete, taking bronze with the Canadian women's soccer team.
Overall, 396 Bruins have combined to make 648 Olympic appearances and have now won 250 Olympic medals – 125 gold, 65 silver, and 60 bronze.
UCLA, which was founded in 1919, has had at least one competitor in every Olympics since 1920 with one exception (1924), and UCLA has won a gold medal in every Olympics in which the U.S. has competed since 1932. Since 1984, Bruins have won 85 gold medals, and the six gold medals won this year rank tied for fifth among all universities.
Final 2012 Olympic Games Medal Count
Gold – 6 (Lauren Cheney, W. Soccer; Sydney Leroux, W. Soccer; Kevin Love, M. Basketball; Courtney Mathewson, W. Water Polo; Kelly Rulon, W. Water Polo; Russell Westbrook, M. Basketball)
Silver – 2 (Dawn Harper, W. Track & Field - 100m Hurdles; Mark Hunter, Rowing - Lightweight Double Scullts)
Bronze – 1 (Chelsea Stewart, W. Soccer)
Note: Jillian Ellis, Karch Kiraly and Adam Krikorian coached teams to medals. Ellis was an assistant coach for the gold medal-winning U.S. women's soccer team. Kiraly was an assistant coach for the silver medal-winning U.S. women's volleyball team. Krikorian was the head coach of the gold medal-winning U.S. women's water polo team. Coaches are not technically awarded medals at the Olympic Games.
UCLA's 2012 Olympians
Amy Acuff - USA Track & Field
Bob Alejo - USA Beach Volleyball (Coach)
Brittany Borman - USA Track & Field
Lauren Cheney - USA Soccer
Jessica Cosby - USA Track & Field
Jillian Ellis - USA Soccer (Assistant Coach)
Danusia Francis - Great Britain Gymnastics (Alternate)
Dawn Harper - USA Track & Field
Mark Hunter - Great Britain Rowing
Meb Keflezighi - USA Track & Field
Yoo Kim - South Korea Track & Field
Karch Kiraly - USA Women's Volleyball (Assistant Coach)
Adam Krikorian - USA Women's Water Polo (Head Coach)
Chay Lapin - USA Water Polo
Al Lau - USA Beach Volleyball (Delegation Head)
Peng Peng Lee - Canada Gymnastics (Honorary Team Captain)
Sydney Leroux - USA Soccer
Anna Li - USA Gymnastics (Alternate)
Kevin Love - USA Basketball
Courtney Mathewson - USA Water Polo
Marcin Matkowski - Poland Tennis
Julie Nichols - USA Rowing
Tori Pena - Ireland Track & Field
Jean-Julien Rojer - Netherlands TennisKelly Rulon - USA Water Polo
Michael Sealy - USA Men's Volleyball (Scout Coach)
John Speraw - USA Volleyball (Assistant Coach)
Silas Stafford - USA Rowing
Chelsea Stewart - Canada Soccer
Rena Wang - USA Badminton
Russell Westbrook - USA Basketball
Rosie White - New Zealand Soccer
Adam Wright - USA Water Polo
Julian Wruck - Australia Track & Field
