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The University of Texas has been known to produce world-class athletes. But now, the Longhorns can say they produce world-class champions.
Twenty-three Longhorns were represented at the games and 10 former and current University of Texas student athletes combined to win 14 medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics - 10 of which were gold.
It may also now be safe to coin the term "Longhorn Nation." If the University were its own separate country at the Olympic Games, it would have ranked eighth among all nations in gold medals and 18th in total medals.
For starters, the University of Texas coaches were well-represented at the games. Eddie Reese coached the men's swimming team - which included Olympic headliner Michael Phelps - for the third time in his career. The other two were in 1992 and 2004. Reese also served as an assistant in 1988, 1996 and 2000.
Longhorn men's track and field coach Bubba Thornton coached the men's track and field team for the first time and made his second visit to the Olympic games. Thornton led the American men to 14 total medals.
Women's swimming coach Kim Brackin led Zimbabwe to four medals, and women's basketball coach Gail Goestenkors served as an assistant on the gold-medal-winning USA women's basketball team.
Former Texas swimmer Aaron Peirsol won the most gold medals of any Longhorn with two in the 100-meter backstroke and the 400-medley relay as well as a silver in the 200 backstroke. Recent Texas graduate Garrett Weber-Gale won two golds at his first Games - the most memorable being when he swam the second leg of the Americans' 0.08-second victory over France in the 400 freestyle relay.
Junior Ricky Berens swam the third leg of the gold-medal-winning 800 freestyle relay, while junior Dave Walters also won the gold for swimming in the event's preliminary round. Former Longhorn Brendan Hansen swam the breaststroke leg of the 400 medley relay, while Ian Crocker took a gold swimming in the preliminaries for that same event.
Texas' women's swimming assistant Kirsty Conventry won a gold medal for Zimbabwe in the 200 backstroke in world-record time, as well as three silver medals.
On the track, former Longhorn Sanya Richards anchored the historic come-from-behind win in the 1,600-meter relay and also earned what she considered a disappointing bronze in the 400-meters. Former Longhorn Melaine Walker took gold for Jamaica in the 400-meter hurdles in Olympic-record time.
Texas softball legend Cat Osterman won a disappointing silver in what could likely have been her last game playing for the U.S.
Former Longhorn baseball player Taylor Teagarden hit the go-ahead double to lead Team USA to the bronze medal in an 8-4 win over Japan.
Throughout Olympic history, the University of Texas has won a total of 116 medals - 67 gold, 31 silver and 18 bronze.
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