 "Photo: Eric Gay, The Associated Press")
With the number of past and present Longhorns who have made the Olympics so far, Austin might as well host the Olympic Games instead of Beijing.
A number of Longhorns have qualified in track and swimming, and even Texas coaches and staff will join the festivities.
Men's track
Former Longhorn Trey Hardee made the Olympic team in the decathlon, while fellow former Longhorn Andra Manson made it in the high jump. Outgoing senior Leo Manzano took second in the 1500-meter run to qualify for the Olympics.
"The past few days have been a dream for me," Hardee said after qualifying. "It's the Olympic Trials and Hayward Field. I have never experienced what I have in the past two days. I PR'ed [personal record] in a couple events and had a really good meet. The decathlon is unique. You get to know people over the course of two days. You encourage one another. You're competing against each other, but you still consider them friends."
One more Texan missed making the team by just one place. Senior Jake Morse placed fourth in the steeplechase, finishing in 8 minutes 34.48 seconds. Morse is an All-American and six-time All-Big 12 performer.
Women's track
On Sunday, Marshevet Hooker took third place in the 200-meter run, becoming the third former Longhorn to qualify for the games. Michelle Carter qualified in the shot put, while Sanya Richards qualified in the 400-meters run. Richards, who is trying to make a comeback this season after battling Behcet's syndrome, took first place in the 400-meter at the trials.
"I feel great," Richards said. "I've been thinking about Beijing all year, but I knew this was going to be the most important step to get there. I tried to contain all the nerves and the anxiety and execute a perfect race, and I almost did."
Women's swimming
Laura Wilkinson, a 2000 gold- medal winner in platform diving, was the first former Longhorn to make this year's Olympic team. Wilkinson, who will compete in her third consecutive Olympic Games, won the diving trials and recorded a perfect score on her final diving attempt.
"She's such a great story to be doing what she's doing at this point in her career," said veteran Olympian and former Texas swimming coach Jill Sterkel. "The way she nailed her last dive is what the trials are all about."
Senior diver Jessica Livingston placed fifth in the Olympic diving trials and still has a shot to make the team at the U.S. diving selection camp.
Incoming freshman Kathleen Hersey secured a berth in the Olympics in the 200-meter butterfly, while senior Hee-Jin Chang will represent South Korea at the games, and junior Susana Escobar will represent Mexico.
"I'm kind of on top of a mountain right now," Hersey said. "I've never felt so elated about swimming, and that's saying something. I fought as hard as I could the last 50, and you couldn't find a better field in which to compete. I feel really blessed to be a part of the team."
Men's swimming
Texas leads the NCAA with eight Olympic qualifiers in swimming and diving. Five former Longhorns qualified, as well as two current Longhorns and one incoming transfer.
Former Longhorns Aaron Peirsol and Ian Crocker, both world-record holders, are competing in their third Olympic Games. Peirsol, who won both gold medals in the backstroke in 2004, will represent the U.S. in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke. Crocker, a 2004 silver medal winner, landed a spot on the team in the 100-meter butterfly.
Brendan Hansen, a former Longhorn who holds the world record in the 100-meter breaststroke, won the trials in the event and will represent the U.S. in August.
Garrett Weber-Gale, another former Longhorn, earned three spots on the Olympic team. He'll compete in the 100-meter freestyle, the 50-meter freestyle and the 400-meter freestyle relay. Weber-Gale set the American record when he won the 50-meter freestyle in 21.47 seconds.
Juniors Ricky Berens and Dave Walters made the team in the 200-meter freestyle. Berens placed third, while Walters took fifth. Both could also be selected for the 800-meter freestyle relay team.
"It's really unbelievable," Berens said. "This is what I've been training for all of these years. I've had my sights set on making the U.S. Olympic team. I knew I had to make the top six in the 200-meter freestyle to make the team, so I knew was going to have to perform at my best. Then, to place third in that event to make the Olympic team was just amazing."
Junior Scott Spann, a Michigan transfer student and the son of former Texas championship swimmer Scott Spann Sr., won the 200-meter breaststroke to capture a spot on the team. Spann's sister, Alex, is a junior on the women's swimming team.
Former Texas diver Troy Dumais will also compete in the Olympics, having won the 3-meter event at the U.S. diving trials.
Softball
Former Longhorn Cat Osterman, who won a gold medal in Athens in 2004, will compete on the U.S. softball team.
Coaches and staff
Men's track and field head coach Bubba Thornton will lead the U.S. men's team at the Olympics, while men's swimming head coach Eddie Reese will lead the American swimming team. Gail Goestenkors, women's basketball head coach, will be an assistant on the U.S. women's basketball team under Anne Donovan. Her fellow assistant coaches will be South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley and Connecticut Sun head coach Mike Thibault.
Dr. Mark Chassay, Texas Athletics head team physician, will serve on the equestrian team's medical staff at the Olympics. Assistant athletic trainer LaGwyn Durden will serve as a trainer with the women's track and field team.
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