2008 Tar Heel Olympians
July 28, 2008 | General
July 28, 2008
The following 20 current or former University of North Carolina student-athletes will represent the United States or other nations in the upcoming 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Field Hockey - six athletes
Kate Barber - Captain of 2008 Olympic Team...USA Field Hockey Female Athlete of the Year record five times, including 2007...Member of U.S. National Team since 1998...Three-time NCAA Champion at UNC (1995, 1996, and 1997)...Three-time First-Team All-America selection (1995-1997)...Two-time finalist for the Honda Award as National Player of the Year ... 1995 ACC Player of the Year and 1994 ACC Rookie of the Year... Four-time All-ACC Tournament selection and MVP in 1995 ... Named to the ACC 50th Anniversary Team in 2002 as one of the top 50 field hockey players in conference history ... Exercise and sport science major at UNC ... Native of West Chester, Pa. (Unionville High School)
Rachel Dawson - Member of U.S. National Team since 2006 ... Named Player of the Tournament in U.S. Olympic Qualifier win in Russia in April as the Americans earned the country's first berth since 1996 ... Nominated for the 2006 WorldHockey Women's Young Player of the Year Award as one of the top six players under age 23 ... Her jersey No. 9 has been retired by UNC ... As a UNC senior, led North Carolina to a 24-0 record and the 2007 NCAA and ACC championships...Winner of the Honda Award as 2007 National Player of the Year... Among five finalists for the Honda-Broderick Cup as the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year ... Nominated for an ESPY as the 2007 Female College Athlete of the Year ... Two-time first-team All-America selection... Two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year and ACC Tournament MVP in 2007 ...Business major who graduated with distinction in December of 2007 ... 2007 ACC Scholar-Athlete for field hockey ... Academic All-America selection in 2007-08 ... Sisters Natalie and Sarah have played for the U.S. National Team...Native of Berlin, N.J. (Eastern High School)
Katelyn Falgowski - Youngest player on Olympic Team and only member with college eligibility remaining ... A member of the U.S. National Team since 2005 ... Second-team All-America selection as a UNC freshman in 2007 ... Named 2007 Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year in 2007... Led the nation in assists with 21...Added nine goals to that total and ranked third on the team in points ... Selected as the team's Ken and Cheryl Williams Rookie of the Year ... Named All-ACC and All-NCAA Tournament...Has not yet declared a major at UNC ...Native of Landenberg, Pa. (St. Mark's High School)
 Katelyn Falgowski, Rachel Dawson and Jesse Gay  |
|
Carrie Lingo - Vice-captain of 2008 Olympic Team...Member of the U.S. National Team since 2001 ... ...Played for UNC 1999-2001, earning first-team All-America honors in her final year ... Named All-ACC and All-ACC Tournament in 2001 ... Also named All-ACC in 1999 ... Named to the ACC 50th Anniversary Team in 2002 as one of the top 50 field hockey players in conference history ... Communication studies/psychology double major at UNC ... Native of Rehoboth Beach, Del. (Cape Henlopen High School)
Amy Tran - The U.S. National Team's starting goalkeeper and one of the best in the world ... Member of the U.S. National Team since 2001 ... Named Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the 2006 World Cup ... Named a 2006 WorldHockey All-Star and to the 2007 Pan American Elite Team ... First-team All-America as a UNC sophomore in 2000 ... Two-time All-ACC selection (2000, 2001) ... Four-year starter as the Tar Heel goalkeeper...Communication studies major at UNC ... Native of Grantville, Pa. (Northern Lebanon High School)
Men's Soccer - one athlete
Dax McCarty - Named to the Olympic Team in late July 2008 ... Played at Carolina in 2004 and 2005 ... Named second-team All-America by NSCAA/adidas and Soccer America as a sophomore in 2005...Signed with MLS Generation adidas program and was taken by FC Dallas with the sixth pick in the 2005 SuperDraft...Totaled four goals, 11 assists and 19 career points in 45 games as a Tar Heel, starting 29 contests.
Women's Soccer - six athletes
Heather O'Reilly - Member of U.S. National Team since 2002...Participated in 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, winning a gold medal...won a bronze medal at the 2007 Women's World Cup...Played forward at UNC but plays midfield on National Team...Led North Carolina to its 19th National Championship as Senior in 2006...Offensive MVP at the 2006 National Championship as well as at the 2003 NCAA College Cup...Finished college career with 59 goals and 49 assists for 167 total points...Winner of prestigious Honda-Broderick Soccer Award in 2006 as National Player of Year...Three-year consensus first-team All-America at North Carolina...Scored a school record eight goals in six NCAA Tournament games in 2003...ESPN The Magazine Women's Soccer Academic All-America of the Year in 2006, who graduated in 2007 with a degree in education...Native of East Brunswick, N.J.
Lori Chalupny - Member of USA Women's National Team since 2001...won a bronze medal at 2007 Women's World Cup...Named 2005 U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year...Three-time consensus first-team All-America midfielder at North Carolina 2003-05...Finished college career with 30 goals and 32 assists from midfield...Led UNC to a perfect 27-0 NCAA championship season in 2003...played midfield in college but has developed into a starting defender on the National Team...Native of St. Louis, Missouri.
Tobin Heath - Youngest member of 2008 Olympic team at age 20...First-ever Olympic Games participant at the midfielder position...Third youngest player ever to make USA Olympic or World Cup Team...Consensus freshmen All-America in 2006 for National Championship squad...consensus first-team All-America in 2007 season...Entering her junior season at North Carolina...In her collegiate career has scored six goals and 14 assists for Tar Heels...Native of Basking Ridge, N.J.
Lindsay Tarpley - Gold medalist in 2004 Olympic Games in Athens and bronze medalist at the 20007 women's World Cup...U.S. National Team member since 2003...Scored first goal in 2004 Olympic Gold Medal game, won in overtime over Brazil 2-1...2003 National College Soccer Player of the Year...Led the nation in scoring in 2003 with 23 goals and 27 assists...Named 2002 consensus National Freshman of the Year...Finished college career with 59 goals and 59 assists after missing half of junior and senior seasons due to broken leg...captained U.S. Team to gold medal at first ever U19 World Championships for women in 2002, scoring the golden goal to give the U.S. a win over host Canada...Graduated with a degree in Communications in 2005...Native of Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Kacey White - Will serve as one of four alternates on 2008 Olympic Squad...Member of USA Under 21 National Team, which won 2005 Nordic Championship in Sweden...Three-time All-ACC selection in the midfield...Named to 2005 ACC Academic Honor Roll...Former Dean's List student...Assistant soccer coach at Texas Tech since 2007...Native of Arlington, Texas...holds NCAA record for most assists in an NCAA Tournament game with five against Pepperdine in a 6-0 Tar Heel win the NCAA third round in 2005.
Robyn Gayle - Was named to Canadian Olympic Team which qualified for its berth in Beijing this past spring...four-year letter winner at UNC 2004-07...member of full Canadian National Team since 2005...three-year starter for UNC at both back and playmaking center midfield position...captained UNC team in 2006 and 2007...one of three tri-captains of 2006 NCAA championship squad....native of Mississauga, Ontario.
Track and Field - seven athletes
Shalane Flanagan - Member of 2008 USA Track and Field Team in 10K and 5K events...Owns the American record in both the 5K and 10K...Represented USA in 5K in 2004 Olympic Games in Athens...Two-time National Champion for Cross Country (2002, 2003)...Two-time Honda Award Winner for Cross Country (2002, 2003)...First Woman in ACC History to win four straight ACC titles...Member of ACC 50th Anniversary Team for Indoor and Outdoor Cross Country...Graduated in 2004 with a degree in history...Native of Marblehead, Mass.
|
|
Alice Schmidt - Earned first Olympic Bid in 2008 for 800 meter run...Two-time National Champion for Cross Country (800m)...Three-time ACC Indoor Champion...Nine-time All-America at North Carolina...Six-time member of the Dean's List...Graduated in 2004 with a degree in journalism and mass communication/political science...Native of Omaha, Neb.
Blake Russell - Qualified for 2008 Olympics with 3rd place finish in marathon (2:32:40)...Participated in 2004 Olympic Games as a first alternate...Former walk-on, who finished an All-America at North Carolina...Graduated in 1997 with degree in psychology and exercise science...Native of Winston Salem, N.C.
Nadine Faustin-Parker - Represents the Republic of Haiti in 100m hurdles in 2008 Olympic Games...Two-time Olympian having appeared in 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games...Semi-finalist in Athens in 2004...National record holder in five different events...Graduated from UNC in 1999 with All-America honors...Currently Director of Track and Field Operations/Administration at North Carolina...Inducted in the University of North Carolina Track and Field Hall of Honor in 2007.
Vikas Gowda - Represents India in 2008 Olympic Games in discus event...Former Olympian in 2004 for India...Finished 14th overall in discus event at Athens Games...Three-time All-America in the discus/shot put in 2003 and 2005 at North Carolina...All-ACC all four years either in discus or shot put...Graduated from UNC in 2006 and is a native of India.
Dominic Demeritte - Represents the Bahamas in 2008 Olympic Games in 200 meters...Participated in 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games...Won the World Indoor Championship in 200 meters in 2004 in Budapest, Hungary...Current Bahamian record holder in 200 meters...Attended UNC from 1995-1999...Earned All-America honors in 1997 as a member of 4 x 400 meter relay...Ranks in the top three in North Carolina history in the 60-meters and 200-meters...Native of the Nassau, Bahamas.
Players Mentioned
