As athletes from around the globe compete for medals in the 2024 Summer Olympics, Lehigh students and coaches have walked among their ranks. A few even won. Here’s a list of talented athletes who competed for spots on national teams, at Olympic trials, and in the Olympic games.
Joe McVeigh '86 made the U.S. Pan American team and competed in the marathon.
Chris Bryce '00, the men's hammer Lehigh record holder, participated in two previous Olympic Trials for the men's hammer throw.
Justina Barone-Lambert '03 finished 12th at the indoor U.S. Championships in the pentathlon.
Lou Adesida '15 participated in the high jump at USA Indoor Nationals.
Tyler Mueller '15 qualified for the Olympic marathon trials but was unable to compete due to injury.
Former Lehigh track and field coach Thomas Burke was a two-time Olympic champion in the 100m and 400m at the first modern Olympics in Greece in 1896.
Zahir Carrington ’10 ’12G was an alternate on Team USA’s 3x3 Olympic Qualifying Team for the sport’s premiere at the 2020 Olympics.
C.J. McCollum '13 was named to the U.S. Select Team in June but eventually opted to not participate.
Cameron and Roman Lao-Gosney '12 were named to the tryout pool for the national team and participated in numerous scrimmages for Team USA.
Former head coach Kevin Cassese played with the U.S. National Team in 2002, helping lead the team to a gold medal at the International Lacrosse Federation World Championships. He was also a member of the team that placed second in 2006. Cassese went on to coach the U.S. team, serving as an assistant coach and head coach during select exhibition contests.
Marcus Bateman '05 competed with the British national team in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2011 at the heavyweight division.
Jonathan Winter '06 and Todd Mickelson '08 have both participated on the U.S. Senior National Team while former Lehigh head coach Brian Conley was the head coach of the U.S. Senior Lightweight Development Team.
Andrés Sedano ’96 represented Guatemala in the 50 meter freestyle at the 1992 Olympics.
Jamal Willis ’17, Justin White ’17, and Kaitlyn Ruffing ’17 all competed in the 50 meter freestyle while Jacob Moyar ’17 swam in the 200 meter butterfly at the 2016 Olympic trials in Omaha, Nebraska. The quartet marked the first Lehigh University swimmers to make the trials since Lehigh Hall of Famers Pete Harding ’70 in 1968 and Ron Keenhold ’56 in 1956.
Former Lehigh head coach Bob Bertucci made the U.S. National Team as a player in 1975 and also competed in the World University Games in the early ’70s.
Lauren Dykstra ’11 made the second round of tryouts twice and also represented Israel in the 2013 World Cup.
Former Lehigh assistant coach Allison LaBeau ’17 was invited to try out twice for the U.S. National Team.
Lehigh head coach and Hall of Famer Jill Redfern earned gold with the 1993 U.S. national team, winning the World Cup in Edinburgh, Scotland. She played for the United States from 1987–93.
Associate head coach Gina Lewandowski '07 has been called up to the U.S. Women's National Team on several occasions, including one cap in a friendly against Brazil on October 25, 2015.
Bobby Weaver '83 won a gold medal during the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and a silver medal at the 1979 World Championships.
Assistant coach Zach Rey '12 is a three-time Pan American champion (2013, 2014, 2015) and a two-time U.S. World Team Trials runner-up. He also finished second at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.
Darian Cruz '18, representing Puerto Rico, will go for gold at the 2024 Olympics.
Audrey Jimenez '28 was the only high schooler to compete at the Olympic Trials and made it to the 50kg freestyle finals before losing to the reigning Olympic bronze medalist. Jimenez will serve as an alternate at the 2024 Olympic games.
Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro was a four-time member of the U.S. National Team between 1995 and 1999 and served as an alternate for the 1996 Olympic Team and the 1999 World Team. Santoro placed fourth at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials, third at the 1992 Olympic Trials, and was runner-up in the 1992 U.S. Open Freestyle Championships.
Former Lehigh assistant coach Kerry McCoy participated in the 2004 Athens Olympics as part of the heavyweight division of the freestyle competition. He also finished fifth at the 2000 games in Sydney.
Former Lehigh coach Greg Strobel served as head coach of the U.S. freestyle team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He coached in a variety of capacities at other Olympic games as well.
Former head coach Gerry Leeman won a silver medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England.
