UCLA ranked among the nation's most successful universities at the recently completed Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, ranking No. 1 among all universities in number of different medalists (17) and number of Olympians (58 representing the United States and six foreign countries). Current and former Bruins earned gold medals (eight) and a total of 18 medals to rank second in both categories. UCLA also claimed five silver medals and five bronze medals.

If UCLA were a country, it would have placed 14th overall in the medal count.

UCLA's total of 18 medals was surpassed only by the University of Texas (20) and was followed by USC (15) and North Carolina (14). UCLA tied with USC for the second-highest gold medal total, one behind Texas.

Former Bruins Christie Ambrosi, Jennifer Brundage, Sheila Douty, Lisa Fernandez and Dot Richardson and current star catcher Stacey Nuveman earned goal medals as members of the softball team. Natalie Williams, the Pac-10 Female Athlete of the Decade, earned a gold with the women's basketball team, and Andrea Anderson earned gold as a member of the 4 x 400-meter relay team.

Current Bruins Robin Beauregard and Coralie Simmons and former star Nicolle Payne earned silver medals with the women's water polo team, which was coached by UCLA co-head coach Guy Baker. Track standout Ato Boldon earned a silver in the 100 meters representing Trinidad & Tobago, and former Bruin head coach Joy Fawcett earned a silver medal as a member of the women's soccer team. UCLA women's head coach Jillian Ellis and men's assistant David Vanole served as assistant coaches for the women's soccer team.

Boldon (200 meters) and John Godina (shot put) earned bronze medals in track and field. Joanne Brown, Kerry Dienelt and Tanya Harding each earned bronze medals as members of the Australian women's softball team.

Fourteen current UCLA student-athletes made various Olympic teams - Alyssa Beckerman (women's gymnastics alternate), Robin Beauregard (women's water polo), Marilyn Chua (women's swimming), Jamie Dantzscher (women's gymnastics), Amanda Freed (softball alternate), Shakedia Jones (track and field), Sean Kern (men's water polo), Kristen Maloney (women's gymnastics), Stacey Nuveman (softball), Bridget Pearson (track and field), Nandi Pryce (alternate women's soccer), Coralie Simmons (women's water polo), Yvonne Tousek (women's gymnastics) and Mark Williams (indoor volleyball). Bruins comprised a large portion of the U.S. Olympic teams in softball (six plus one alternate), track and field (nine), women's water polo (three plus the head coach, one alternate) and men's soccer (four).

Overall, UCLA has won 195 medals - 98 gold, 51 silver and 46 bronze. The Bruins have had at least one competitor in every Olympics since 1920 with one exception (1924), and UCLA has won a gold medal in every Olympics since 1932 with the exception of 1980 (boycott).

UCLA athletes earned 22 medals in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. The 61 competitors and coaches earned 12 gold medals, two silver and eight bronze. Gail Devers and Ato Boldon were double winners, as Devers won gold medals in the 100 meters and the 4x100 meter relay, while Boldon captured bronze medals in the 100 and 200 meters.

In 1992, UCLA's 47 athletes and three coaches won a total of 16 medals - eight gold, two silver and six bronze - and participated in all three track and field world records.

In 1988, 31 current and former Bruins representing the United States and six other nations earned a total of 22 medals -- 17 gold, four silver and one bronze. If UCLA were a country, it would have placed fourth in the world with its 17 gold medals. Florence Griffith-Joyner (track) led the group with three gold medals.

Over the past nine decades, 387 men and women athletes, coaches and trainers have represented UCLA in the Summer Olympic Games. The first two Bruin Olympians participated in 1920, just one year after the founding of the university. Edward S. Butler competed in the long jump and Clyde A. Swendsen was a member of the water polo team.

UCLA's 2000 Olympic Medalists

Gold (8)
Christie Ambrosi - Softball
Andrea Anderson - Women's Track & Field (4x400m relay)
Jennifer Brundage - Softball
Sheila Douty - Softball
Lisa Fernandez - Softball
Stacey Nuveman - Softball
Dot Richardson - Softball
Natalie Williams - Women's Basketball

Silver (5)
Robin Beauregard - Women's Water Polo
Ato Boldon - Men's Track and Field, 100m (Trinidad & Tobago)
Joy Fawcett - Women's Soccer
Nicolle Payne - Women's Water Polo
Coralie Simmons - Women's Water Polo

Bronze (5)
Ato Boldon - Men's Track and Field, 200m (Trinidad & Tobago)
Joanne Brown - Softball (Australia)
Kerry Dienelt - Softball (Australia)
John Godina - Men's Track and Field, Shot put
Tanya Harding - Softball (Australia)