UCLA Olympians By The Numbers
A total of 436 current or former UCLA students have made a combined 661 Olympic teams since 1928.
Three Bruins have competed in five Olympic Games – track and field stars Amy Acuff (1996-2012) and Gail Devers (1988-2004) and tennis player Mark Knowles (1992-2008). Two other Bruins were selected to five Olympic teams (track and field’s Francie Larrieu Smith and Karin Smith) but competed in four due to the 1980 Olympic boycott.
Volleyball legend Karch Kiraly has participated in the most Olympic Games of any Bruin – seven. He won gold with the U.S. men’s volleyball team in 1984 and 1988 and with Kent Steffes in beach volleyball in 1996. As an assistant coach, he led the U.S. women’s volleyball team to a silver medal in 2012, and he has won a pair of medals as its head coach, winning gold in 2020 and bronze in 2016. He will again lead the U.S. women in Paris.
Most Olympic appearances (athlete/coach)
7 – Karch Kiraly, Volleyball (1984, 1988 – indoor volleyball; 1996 – beach volleyball; 2012 – assistant coach, women’s volleyball; 2016, 2020, 2024 – head coach, women’s volleyball)
5 – Amy Acuff, Track & Field (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012)
5 – Gail Devers, Track & Field (1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004)
5 – Mark Knowles, Tennis (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008)
5 – John Speraw, Men’s Volleyball (2008, 2012 asst. coach; 2016, 2020, 2024 head coach)
4 – Evelyn Ashford, Track & Field (1976, 1984, 1988, 1992)
4 – Hal Connolly, Track & Field (1956, 1960, 1964, 1968)
4 – Carlos Girón, Diving (1972, 1976, 1980, 1984)
4 – Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Track & Field (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996)
4 – Meb Keflezighi, Track & Field (2000, 2004, 2012, 2016)
4 – Adam Krikorian, W. Water Polo (2012, 2016, 2020, 2024 head coach)
4 – Marcin Matkowski, Tennis (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016)
4 – Monte Nitzkowski, Swimming/Water Polo (1952 – swimming; 1968, 1972, 1984 – water polo coach)
4 – Jean-Julien Rojer, Tennis (2012, 2016, 2020, 2024)
4 – Francie Larrieu Smith, Track & Field (1972, 1976, 1988, 1992)*
4 – Karin Smith, Track & Field (1976, 1984, 1988, 1992)*
* selected for 1980 Olympic team but did not compete due to U.S. boycott
2024-25 Bruins in Paris (8 UCLA athletes/4 UCLA coaches)
Tom Daley (W. Diving assistant coach)
Chase Dodd (M. Water Polo)
Ryder Dodd (M. Water Polo)
Angela Dugalic (W. Basketball) *unofficial
Sienna Green (W. Water Polo)
Gizem Guvenc (W. Swimming & Diving)
Emma Harvey (W. Swimming & Diving)
Emma Malabuyo (W. Gymnastics)
Janelle McDonald (W. Gymnastics coach)
Antonie Nortje (M. Track & Field)
Alfee Reft (W. Volleyball head coach)
John Speraw (M. Volleyball head coach)
A total of 174 current or former UCLA students have won a combined 270 Olympic medals (136 gold, 71 silver, 63 bronze). The first Bruin medalist was Farid Simaika (Egypt), who won two diving medals in 1928 (platform silver and springboard bronze). Shirley Babashoff is UCLA’s most decorated Olympian, having won eight swimming medals in 1972 and 1976 (two gold, six silver). Swimmer Tom Jager has the most gold medals, with five from 1984-1992.
Most Olympic medals by a Bruin (career)
8 – Shirley Babashoff, Swimming (1972, 1976) – 2 gold, 6 silver
7 – Tom Jager, Swimming (1984, 1988, 1992) - 5 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
6 – Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Track & Field (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996) – 3 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze
5 – Evelyn Ashford, Track & Field (1984, 1988, 1992) – 4 gold, 1 silver
5 – Florence Griffith Joyner, Track & Field (1984, 1988) – 3 gold, 2 silver
4 – Ato Boldon, Track & Field (1996, 2000) – 1 silver, 3 bronze
4 – Mitch Gaylord, Gymnastics (1984) – 1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze
4 – Tanya Harding, Softball (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008) – 1 silver, 3 bronze
4 – Steve Lewis, Track & Field (1988, 1992) – 1 gold, 2 silver
Most medals by a Bruin in a single Olympics
5 – Shirley Babashoff, Swimming (1976) – 1 gold, 4 silver
4 – Mitch Gaylord, Gymnastics (1984) – 1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze
4 – Florence Griffith Joyner (1988) – 3 gold, 1 silver
3 – Steve Genter, Swimming (1972) – 2 gold, 1 silver
3 – Tom Jager, Swimming (1988) – 2 gold, 1 silver
3 – Julianne McNamara, Gymnastics (1984) – 1 gold, 2 silver
3 – Debbie Meyer, Swimming (1968) – 3 gold
3 – Peter Vidmar, Gymnastics (1984) – 2 gold, 1 silver
Most Olympic gold medals by a Bruin (career)
5 – Tom Jager, Swimming (1984 – 400 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay; 1988 – 400 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay; 1992 – 400 Free Relay)
4 – Evelyn Ashford, Track & Field (1984 – 100m, 4x100m Relay; 1988 – 4x100m Relay; 1992 – 4x100m Relay)
3 – Mike Burton, Swimming (1968 – 400 Free, 1500 Free; 1972 – 1500 Free)
3 – Gail Devers, Track & Field (1992 – 100m; 1996 – 100m, 4x100m Relay)
3 – Lisa Fernandez, Softball (1996, 2000, 2004)
3 – Florence Griffith Joyner, Track & Field (1988 – 100m, 200m, 4x100m Relay)
3 – Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Track & Field (1988 – Heptathlon, Long Jump; 1992 – Heptathlon)
3 – Karch Kiraly, Volleyball (1984 – Indoor, 1988 – Indoor, 1996 – Beach)
3 – Debbie Meyer, Swimming (1968 – 200 Free, 400 Free, 800 Free)
Three Bruins have competed in five Olympic Games – track and field stars Amy Acuff (1996-2012) and Gail Devers (1988-2004) and tennis player Mark Knowles (1992-2008). Two other Bruins were selected to five Olympic teams (track and field’s Francie Larrieu Smith and Karin Smith) but competed in four due to the 1980 Olympic boycott.
Volleyball legend Karch Kiraly has participated in the most Olympic Games of any Bruin – seven. He won gold with the U.S. men’s volleyball team in 1984 and 1988 and with Kent Steffes in beach volleyball in 1996. As an assistant coach, he led the U.S. women’s volleyball team to a silver medal in 2012, and he has won a pair of medals as its head coach, winning gold in 2020 and bronze in 2016. He will again lead the U.S. women in Paris.
Most Olympic appearances (athlete/coach)
7 – Karch Kiraly, Volleyball (1984, 1988 – indoor volleyball; 1996 – beach volleyball; 2012 – assistant coach, women’s volleyball; 2016, 2020, 2024 – head coach, women’s volleyball)
5 – Amy Acuff, Track & Field (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012)
5 – Gail Devers, Track & Field (1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004)
5 – Mark Knowles, Tennis (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008)
5 – John Speraw, Men’s Volleyball (2008, 2012 asst. coach; 2016, 2020, 2024 head coach)
4 – Evelyn Ashford, Track & Field (1976, 1984, 1988, 1992)
4 – Hal Connolly, Track & Field (1956, 1960, 1964, 1968)
4 – Carlos Girón, Diving (1972, 1976, 1980, 1984)
4 – Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Track & Field (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996)
4 – Meb Keflezighi, Track & Field (2000, 2004, 2012, 2016)
4 – Adam Krikorian, W. Water Polo (2012, 2016, 2020, 2024 head coach)
4 – Marcin Matkowski, Tennis (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016)
4 – Monte Nitzkowski, Swimming/Water Polo (1952 – swimming; 1968, 1972, 1984 – water polo coach)
4 – Jean-Julien Rojer, Tennis (2012, 2016, 2020, 2024)
4 – Francie Larrieu Smith, Track & Field (1972, 1976, 1988, 1992)*
4 – Karin Smith, Track & Field (1976, 1984, 1988, 1992)*
* selected for 1980 Olympic team but did not compete due to U.S. boycott
2024-25 Bruins in Paris (8 UCLA athletes/4 UCLA coaches)
Tom Daley (W. Diving assistant coach)
Chase Dodd (M. Water Polo)
Ryder Dodd (M. Water Polo)
Angela Dugalic (W. Basketball) *unofficial
Sienna Green (W. Water Polo)
Gizem Guvenc (W. Swimming & Diving)
Emma Harvey (W. Swimming & Diving)
Emma Malabuyo (W. Gymnastics)
Janelle McDonald (W. Gymnastics coach)
Antonie Nortje (M. Track & Field)
Alfee Reft (W. Volleyball head coach)
John Speraw (M. Volleyball head coach)
A total of 174 current or former UCLA students have won a combined 270 Olympic medals (136 gold, 71 silver, 63 bronze). The first Bruin medalist was Farid Simaika (Egypt), who won two diving medals in 1928 (platform silver and springboard bronze). Shirley Babashoff is UCLA’s most decorated Olympian, having won eight swimming medals in 1972 and 1976 (two gold, six silver). Swimmer Tom Jager has the most gold medals, with five from 1984-1992.
Most Olympic medals by a Bruin (career)
8 – Shirley Babashoff, Swimming (1972, 1976) – 2 gold, 6 silver
7 – Tom Jager, Swimming (1984, 1988, 1992) - 5 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
6 – Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Track & Field (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996) – 3 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze
5 – Evelyn Ashford, Track & Field (1984, 1988, 1992) – 4 gold, 1 silver
5 – Florence Griffith Joyner, Track & Field (1984, 1988) – 3 gold, 2 silver
4 – Ato Boldon, Track & Field (1996, 2000) – 1 silver, 3 bronze
4 – Mitch Gaylord, Gymnastics (1984) – 1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze
4 – Tanya Harding, Softball (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008) – 1 silver, 3 bronze
4 – Steve Lewis, Track & Field (1988, 1992) – 1 gold, 2 silver
Most medals by a Bruin in a single Olympics
5 – Shirley Babashoff, Swimming (1976) – 1 gold, 4 silver
4 – Mitch Gaylord, Gymnastics (1984) – 1 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze
4 – Florence Griffith Joyner (1988) – 3 gold, 1 silver
3 – Steve Genter, Swimming (1972) – 2 gold, 1 silver
3 – Tom Jager, Swimming (1988) – 2 gold, 1 silver
3 – Julianne McNamara, Gymnastics (1984) – 1 gold, 2 silver
3 – Debbie Meyer, Swimming (1968) – 3 gold
3 – Peter Vidmar, Gymnastics (1984) – 2 gold, 1 silver
Most Olympic gold medals by a Bruin (career)
5 – Tom Jager, Swimming (1984 – 400 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay; 1988 – 400 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay; 1992 – 400 Free Relay)
4 – Evelyn Ashford, Track & Field (1984 – 100m, 4x100m Relay; 1988 – 4x100m Relay; 1992 – 4x100m Relay)
3 – Mike Burton, Swimming (1968 – 400 Free, 1500 Free; 1972 – 1500 Free)
3 – Gail Devers, Track & Field (1992 – 100m; 1996 – 100m, 4x100m Relay)
3 – Lisa Fernandez, Softball (1996, 2000, 2004)
3 – Florence Griffith Joyner, Track & Field (1988 – 100m, 200m, 4x100m Relay)
3 – Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Track & Field (1988 – Heptathlon, Long Jump; 1992 – Heptathlon)
3 – Karch Kiraly, Volleyball (1984 – Indoor, 1988 – Indoor, 1996 – Beach)
3 – Debbie Meyer, Swimming (1968 – 200 Free, 400 Free, 800 Free)