2016 Olympic Games: Hoos going to Rio?

UVa fans tuning into the Olympics for the next few weeks should expect to see a bunch of Wahoos representing their home countries at the games. The Hoos have 14 different athletes (and two coaches) representing seven different countries at the games as well as two other athletes listed as alternates for their respective teams.

There are seven Wahoos headed to Brazil to represent the USA:

• Michelle Vittese, Field Hockey
• Matt Miller, Rowing, Men’s Four
• Meghan O’Leary, Rowing, Women’s Double Sculls
• Morgan Brian, Soccer
• Becky Sauerbrunn, Soccer
• Leah Smith, Swimming, 400m and 800m Freestyle, 4x200m Freestyle Relay
• Robby Andrews, Track and Field, 1,500 meters

In addition, Paige Selenski, a member of the 2012 USA Olympic team was selected as an alternate for the field hockey team while Emily Sonnett, 2015 ESPN Player of the Year at UVa, was selected as an alternate for the soccer team.

Seven different Hoos will be representing other countries at the games:

• Susanne Grainger, Rowing, Women’s Eight (Canada)
• Inge Janssen, Rowing, Women’s Quad (Netherlands)
• Christine Roper, Rowing, Women’s Eight (Canada)
• Yannick Kaeser, Swimming, Men’s 100m and 200m breaststroke (Switzerland)
• Dominic Inglot, Tennis, Men’s Doubles (Great Britain)
• Kemal Mesic, Track and Field (UVa throws coach, not a student), Men’s Shot Put (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
• Filip Mihaljevic, Track and Field, Men’s Shot Put (Croatia)

Joining the participants in Rio are two UVa coaches: Kevin Sauer, the UVa head rowing coach, and Steve Swanson, the UVa head women’s soccer coach, will both be assistant coaches on their respective American teams.

Leah Smith and her coach talked with Virginiasportstv recently about her upcoming trip:

Wahoo fans should remember Morgan Brian’s All American play at UVa and her recent work at the World Cup:

Before Dominic Inglot was getting his lovelife exposed by Wimbledon champions, he was a star on the UVa tennis team and Men’s Doubles NCAA Champion in 2009

Stay tuned to Streaking the Lawn for updates on these athletes and coaches, as well as a guide to where you can catch all of their action in Rio!