University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Blue Tint To 2024 Paris Summer Olympics
July 23, 2024 | General
All-Time Tar Heel Olympians & Medalists
With at least 12 current or former University of North Carolina student-athletes set to compete starting later this week at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, the sky might look a little Carolina Blue at times in Paris.
This year’s Carolina Olympians include Crystal Dunn (USA), Emily Fox (USA) and Katie Bowen (New Zealand) in women’s soccer and Ashley Hoffman (USA), Meredith Sholder (USA) and Cassie Sumfest (USA alternate) in field hockey. Others are Rinky Hijikata (Australia) in men’s tennis, Ethan Ramos (Puerto Rico) in wrestling and Kristen Siermachesky (Canada) in women’s rowing.
Four members of the Tar Heel swimming and diving family will be competing as well. Four-time NCAA champion Aranza Vazquez Montaño (Mexico) returns for her second Olympic try after finishing sixth in the three-meter springboard in Tokyo four years ago. Fellow current Tar Heel Patrick Hussey will compete in the 4x200m free relay for Canada. Two incoming UNC freshmen will represent Israel: Martin Kartavi in the men’s 50-meter freestyle and Adam Maraana in the men’s 100-meter backstroke.
The women’s soccer alums will be the first set of Tar Heels to see action on Thursday when the USA plays Zambia and New Zealand meets Canada.
A litany of Tar Heel greats have won gold medals over the years in sports including men’s basketball, swimming, women’s soccer and track and field. Most recently, Harrison Barnes won gold in men’s basketball in 2016 and Tobin Heath and Heather O’Reilly did so in women’s soccer in 2012.
Below is a list of Tar Heels in the 2024 Olympic Games, as well as a repository of highlighted coverage of the month in Paris as it progresses.
#GoHeels
Tar Heels In The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics
Field Hockey
Ashley Hoffman, UNC 2015-18 (USA)
Meredith Sholder, UNC 2017-22 (USA)
Cassie Sumfest, UNC 2017-21 (USA, alternate)
Women's Soccer
Katie Bowen, UNC 2012-15 (New Zealand)
Crystal Dunn, UNC 2010-13 (USA)
Emily Fox, UNC 2017-19 (USA)
Rowing
Kristen Siermachesky, UNC 2021-22 (Canada)
Swimming & Diving
Patrick Hussey, UNC 2020-present (2x400m freestyle relay) (Canada)
Aranza Vazquez Montaño, UNC 2020-present (3M springboard diving) (Mexico)
Martin Kartavi, UNC incoming freshman (50m freestyle) (Israel)
Adam Maraana, UNC incoming freshman (100m backstroke) (Israel)
Men's Tennis
Rinky Hijikata, UNC 2020-21 (singles) (Australia)
Wrestling
Ethan Ramos, UNC 2013-18 (86kg freestyle) (Puerto Rico)
Runnin' back @uncwomenssoccer days with @Cdunn19! ??#OlympiansMadeHere x @NCAASoccer pic.twitter.com/rQuoxgZH5O
— NCAA (@NCAA) July 24, 2024
Major FOMO from the @GoHeels pre-game Olympics Zoom call! #OlympiansMadeHere x @UNCFieldHockey pic.twitter.com/J5Dg6R7NcT
— NCAA (@NCAA) July 25, 2024
After overcoming post-Olympic struggles, #UNC senior Aranza Vazquez Montaño has refined her strategies to manage pressure as she prepares for her second consecutive @Olympics.
— UNC-Chapel Hill (@UNC) July 25, 2024
Learn how this top diver creates her own world before plunging into the water https://t.co/RHLroXFFqd
Next stop, PARIS! ?? @Cdunn19 and @___emilyfox have been named to the U.S. Olympic Team for the upcoming Paris Olympic Games! pic.twitter.com/2p3V1V6Nvy
— UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) June 26, 2024
Carrying the torch for Tar Heels past & present ??#GoHeels x #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/sEM0gTNI8Z
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) July 26, 2024
Red, white and a splash of Carolina Blue ???? @___emilyfox and @Cdunn19 celebrated the @Paris2024 Opening Ceremony in Marseille!
— UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) July 26, 2024
?? U.S. Soccer/Getty Images/Brad Smith pic.twitter.com/pG5AFrcVdn
Five of those @TeamUSA Olympians are Tar Heels! ??????#GoHeels x #OlympiansMadeHere x #OneForAll pic.twitter.com/zr2HdCd41c
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) July 27, 2024
Karen Shelton and Brenda Hoffman were teammates on the bronze medal-winning 1984 @USAFieldHockey team.
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) July 27, 2024
Now in 2024, Ashley Hoffman is carrying on the Olympic legacy of her mother and storied @UNCFieldHockey coach.
?? » https://t.co/ImMcUZaGaC#GoHeels x #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/GVD2HQudTm
With four weeks until the Summer Olympics begin in Paris, Aranza Vazquez reflects on final preparation for the games, differences in taking part in her second Olympics, and her pride in representing @uncswimdive on the international stage ??????
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) June 28, 2024
? #GoHeels x @BlueCrossNC pic.twitter.com/XVy4ob1ttJ
GO HEELS GO AMERICA @Cdunn19 @___emilyfox https://t.co/iys0gU69cU
— UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) July 28, 2024
From Tar Heel All-America to Grand Slam champion to Olympian in three years
— Carolina Men's Tennis ???? (@carolinatennis) June 29, 2024
?????????? ???????????????? ??#GoHeels pic.twitter.com/ldHaxfRccU
From a chemist cyclist to a Purple Heart recipient, #UNC's Olympic legacy dates back to the 1896 revival of the Games.
— UNC-Chapel Hill (@UNC) July 26, 2024
Celebrate with trading cards featuring 15 Tar Heel Olympians and discover Carolina’s rich Olympic history https://t.co/E85fUMLH1O
Maraana finishes 28th overall in the 100m backstroke (54.61). We can’t wait to have him on campus in a few weeks! pic.twitter.com/ghXrJLqpyu
— Carolina Swimming & Diving (@uncswimdive) July 28, 2024
Canada's Women's Eights boat finished third in this AM's heat and will race in Thursday's repechage. Former @UNCRowing student-athlete @kristenS65 is an alternate for Team Canada. https://t.co/jKx5ewQ5jg
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) July 29, 2024
? An action-packed opening weekend in Paris ?
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) July 29, 2024
Here's a quick recap + preview of all the Tar Heel action from an exciting first few days of the #ParisOlympics:
?? Women’s Soccer ??
The USWNT has already qualified for the knockout stage after starting 2-0 in Paris with wins… pic.twitter.com/9MkKMeHUx5
THAT MEDAL FEELING ???
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) July 30, 2024
Congratulations to @UNC alum Naya Tapper!#GDTBATH x #OlympiansMadeHere https://t.co/l3e0GntWnq pic.twitter.com/2qYU2XCfSf
Captain Katie ??
— UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) July 31, 2024
Proud of four-time Olympian @Kati3bowen and her Football Ferns for their fight in France! #GoHeels x #OlympiansMadeHere pic.twitter.com/uMPIIT9Hl5
It's our four-time NCAA Champion's turn to represent Mexico in her second Olympics! ??????#GoHeels pic.twitter.com/EE2BtJGuP7
— UNC Tar Heels (@GoHeels) August 7, 2024
Ready to represent on the world’s biggest stage#GoHeels x #OlympiansMadeHere pic.twitter.com/cV1cQO0Exe
— UNC Wrestling (@UNCWrestling) August 7, 2024
GoHeels.com & Campus Olympic Coverage
June 26 - Dunn, Fox Named To U.S. Olympic Women's Soccer Team
June 26 - Rinky Hijikata Earns Spot On Australian Olympic Team
July 23 - Hijikata Poised For Olympic Debut
July 24 - Three Former Tar Heels Begin Quest For Olympic Gold
July 24 - En Route To Second Olympics, Aranza Vazquez Finds Peace Of Mind
July 25 - Women's Soccer Opens Olympic Group Stage Play
July 26 - Olympic Lineage
July 26 - Future Tar Heels To Swim For Team Israel At Olympic Games
July 28 - Olympic Group Stage Continues For Women's Soccer
July 29 - Hussey Primed For First Olympic Games
July 31 - United States Sweeps Group B, Advances To Olympic Knockout Rounds
August 3 - USWNT Headed To Olympic Semifinal, Dunn Assists Lone Goal
August 6 - Baseball Olympians Reflect On '84 Games
August 6 - US Punches Ticket To Gold Medal Match
August 7 - Ramos Begins Olympic Journey Thursday
August 7 - Vazquez Montaño Qualifies For Olympic 3M Diving Semifinals
August 8 - Swimming & Diving Olympic Recap
August 10 - Olympic Champions! Dunn, Fox Win Gold With USWNT
