A school-record 22 University of Kentucky student-athletes, alumni, and coaches will represent seven countries across six sports at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad in France from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
Eight Wildcats are set to compete in 5×5 basketball, seven in track and field, two in fencing, one in 3×3 basketball, one in volleyball, and one in diving.
Additionally, one UK alumna and one current UK assistant coach will serve as national team assistant coaches at the Games.
Seventeen of these Olympians competed collegiately for Kentucky. Among the four who competed elsewhere, two are on UK Athletics staffs and two are students at the UK College of Medicine.
Out of the 22 UK Olympians, seven have previously won a combined nine Olympic medals.
The Opening Ceremonies on July 26 will feature multiple Wildcats in the Parade of Nations, highlighted by reigning 100m hurdles Olympic Gold Medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (UK Class of 2017) serving as flag bearer for Puerto Rico.
Athletics/Track and Field
- Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, 100m hurdles, Puerto Rico (2020 Gold)
- Devynne Charlton, 100m hurdles, Bahamas (Volunteer Assistant Coach/Purdue Alum)
- Andrew Evans, discus, USA
- Alexis Holmes, 400m, 4x400m relay pool, USA
- Ashley Kovacs, Throws Coach, USA
- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, 400m hurdles, 4x400m relay pool, USA (Two Golds in 2020)
- Daniel Roberts, 110m hurdles, USA
- Masai Russell, 100m hurdles, USA
Men’s Basketball 5-on-5
- Bam Adebayo, USA (2020 Gold)
- Devin Booker, USA (2020 Gold)
- Anthony Davis, USA (2012 Gold)
- Wenyen Gabriel, South Sudan
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Canada
- Jamal Murray, Canada
- Trey Lyles, Canada
Women’s Basketball 5-on-5
- Adebola Adeyeye, Nigeria
Women’s Basketball 3-on-3
- Rhyne Howard, USA
Diving
- Julia Vincent, South Africa (Assistant Coach/South Carolina alum)
- Ted Hautau, Diving Coach, South Africa
Fencing
- Lee Kiefer, USA (UK College of Medicine/Notre Dame Alum) (2020 Gold)
- Gerek Meinhardt, USA (UK College of Medicine/Notre Dame Alum) (2016 Bronze, 2020 Bronze)
Women’s Volleyball
- Avery Skinner, USA
Additional notes on this year’s Kentucky Olympians
The 22 Olympians with UK connections passed the previous school record – 20 – for competitors and coaches who were part of the last Summer Olympics in Tokyo 2021 (officially the 2020 Olympics). The previous school record was nine, set in 1948, when all nine were associated with the UK men’s basketball team.
Over the years, UK athletes have represented 16 countries. This year’s event will mark the first time that UK has had an athlete represent South Sudan.
The Paris Games will mark the fifth consecutive Olympiad featuring a UK men’s basketball player, following gold-medal winners Devin Booker, Bam Adebayo and Keldon Johnson (2020), DeMarcus Cousins (2016), Anthony Davis (2012) and Tayshaun Prince (2008).
Kentucky has the largest contingent on Team USA Basketball with three Wildcats on Men’s Basketball 5×5 and one on Women’s 3×3.
Kentucky women’s basketball has had an alumna at each of the last two Olympic Games (Jennifer O’Neill competed at the Tokyo Games for Puerto Rico).
Two Wildcats in track and field/athletics are making their third appearance, as Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and Sydney McLaughlin each competed in Rio and Tokyo, and each are defending gold medals from Tokyo.
UK’s status as “Hurdle U” will be on full display during the athletics (track and field) competition. The Wildcats have the reigning Olympic Record holders in both the 100m hurdles (Camacho-Quinn) and 400m hurdles (McLaughlin-Levrone). McLaughlin-Levrone also has the 400m world record. Masai Russell (UK Class of 2023) is the current U.S. 100m hurdles champion and volunteer assistant coach Devynne Charlton is current World Indoor and Bahamas Champion.
Daniel Roberts (UK 2016-2019) is competing in his second consecutive Olympic Games in the 110m hurdles.
2024 will mark the eighth consecutive Olympiad featuring a Wildcat in track and field dating to Tim Harden in 1996.
Two athletes currently associated with the University, who have not been part of the varsity athletics program, will compete at the games. Lee Kiefer and Gerek Meinhardt, who are students at the UK College of Medicine, have competed in multiple Olympics in fencing.
Kiefer won women’s foil individual gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Meinhardt earned the bronze medal in men’s foil in 2016 and team foil in Tokyo.
Ashley Kovacs, who competed as a thrower on the UK Track and Field Team from 2007-10, is the USA Athletics/Track and Field team’s Women’s Throws Coach.
UK Diving Coach Ted Hautau coaches Vincent and is the South Africa Diving Team Coach.
Kentucky Director of Track and Tield/Cross Country Head Coach Lonnie Greene coaches Russell and Charlton.
Track and Field Freshman Alexander Chukwukelu was selected for Team Nigeria in the 110m hurdles after winning the Nigerian Championships (Olympic Trials), but will not compete at the games due to injury.
Competition schedule for sports featuring these athletes, with all dates based on Paris time, which is six hours earlier than the United States Eastern Time Zone:
Athletics (Track and Field): Aug. 1-11
- Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Devynne Charlton (Purdue alumna/UK volunteer assistant coach), Andrew Evans, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Masai Russell, Daniel Roberts, Alexis Holmes
Basketball 5-on-5: July 27-Aug. 10
- Adebola Adeyeye, Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, Wenyen Gabriel, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Trey Lyles, Jamal Murray
Basketball 3-on-3 July 30-Aug. 5
- Rhyne Howard
Fencing: July 24-Aug. 1
- Lee Kiefer, Gerek Meinhart
Diving: July 21-Aug. 10
- Julia Vincent (South Carolina alum/UK volunteer assistant coach)
2024 Olympians with Kentucky Connections
BASKETBALL
Adebola Adeyeye, Nigeria 5×5 Basketball (2022-23) On the team’s “Training Camp” roster released on July 5. Final rosters will be confirmed following the Technical Meeting, which is set to take place before the start of the competition.
- Played in 147 career games and made 95 career starts (four years at Buffalo and one year at Kentucky)
- 2022-23 SEC First Year Academic Honor Roll
- In 2022-23 at Kentucky, played in all 31 games and made 12 starts on the season, averaging 4.6 points per game and 5.0 rebounds per game … She also combined for 20 steals, 16 blocks and 12 assists in 2022-23
Rhyne Howard, USA 3×3 Basketball (UK 2018-22)
- Led Kentucky to the 2022 SEC Tournament Championship
- Two-time SEC Player of the Year
- Selected No. 1 in 2022 WNBA Draft
- WNBA Rookie of the Year – 2022
Bam Adebayo, USA 5×5 Basketball (UK 2016-17)
- Olympic Gold Medalist- 2020 Tokyo
- Led Kentucky to the 2017 Elite Eight
- Second-team All-SEC
- Three-time NBA All-Star
- Helped Miami Heat to the 2020 and 2023 NBA Finals
Devin Booker, USA 5×5 Basketball (UK 2014-15)
- Olympic Gold Medalist- 2020 Tokyo
- Part of UK’s 2014-15 SEC Champion Regular-Season and Tournament Team that went 38-1 and reached the Final Four
- Second-team All-SEC
- Led Phoenix Suns to the 2021 NBA Finals
- Four-time NBA All-Star
Anthony Davis, USA 5×5 Basketball (UK 2011-12)
- One of just eight players ever to win an Olympic Gold Medal (2012), an NCAA Championship (2012) and an NBA Title (2020)
- 2012 National Player of the Year
- Selected No. 1 overall in the 2012 NBA Draft
Wenyen Gabriel, South Sudan 5×5 Basketball (UK 2016-18)
- Helped UK win the 2018 SEC Tournament Championship and named to the All-Tournament Team
- Selected for South Sudan’s team for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. This was South Sudan’s first international basketball competition, where their performance earned them a spot at the Paris Olympics
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Canada 5×5 Basketball (UK 2017-18)
- Led UK to the 2018 SEC Tournament Championship, scoring 29 points in the Championship game and was named the tournament Most Valuable Player
- Second-team All-SEC
- All-NBA First Team- 2023-24 season
- 2023 FIBA World Cup Bronze Medalist as a member of the Canadian National Basketball Team
Jamal Murray, Canada 5×5 Basketball (UK 2015-16)
- Led Kentucky to the 2016 SEC Tournament Championship and named to the All-Tournament team
- Third-team All-America and first-team All-SEC
- Named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team- 2017
- 2023 NBA Champion- Denver Nuggets
- Pan American Games Silver Medalist with the Canadian National Basketball Team-2015
Trey Lyles, Canada 5×5 Basketball (UK 2014-15)
- Part of UK’s 2014-15 SEC Champion Regular-Season and Tournament Team that went 38-1 and reached the Final Four
- Drafted No. 12 Overall in the 2015 NBA Draft
- Currently plays in the NBA for the Sacramento Kings
VOLLEYBALL
Avery Skinner, USA Volleyball (UK 2017-21)
- Key member of 2020 NCAA Championship team
- All-SEC 2020
- NCAA Region All-Tournament- 2017
- Pan American Cup Final Six Silver Medalist- 2022
ATHLETICS/TRACK AND FIELD
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Puerto Rico Athletics/Track and Field (UK 2016-18)
- Making her third Olympic appearance in the 100m hurdles
- Flag bearer for Puerto Rico in the Opening Ceremonies
- Won Puerto Rico’s first 100m hurdles Olympic Gold Medal- Tokyo 2020
- Three-time NCAA Champion, twice in the 100m hurdles and once in the 4x100m relay
- Five-time SEC champion, three in the 100m hurdles, also once in the 60m hurdles and 4x400m relay
Devynne Charlton, Bahamas Athletics/Track and Field (Volunteer Assistant Coach/Purdue Alum)
- Making second Olympic appearance
- Ran collegiate track at Purdue for current UK Head Coach Lonnie Greene, winning an NCAA silver medal in the 100m hurdles, along with NCAA silver and bronze medals in the 60m hurdles
- World Record Holder in the 60m hurdles (7.67), set at the 2024 Millrose Games
- Gold Medalist at the 2024 World Indoor Championships, ran 7.65 for the 60m hurdles
Andrew Evans, USA Athletics/Track and Field (UK 2012-2014)
- Making second Olympic appearance, competed in the Discus Throw at the 2016 Rio Olympics
- Gold Medalist at the 2024 US Olympic Team Trials in the Discus Throw to secure his spot to Paris
- Two-time NCAA First Team All-American
- Two-time SEC Discus Throw Champion- 2012, 2014
Alexis Holmes, USA Athletics/Track and Field (UK 2019-2022)
– World Record holder in the 4x400m relay mixed
- Bronze Medalist in the US Olympic Team Trials 400m
- 2024 USATF Indoor Championships Gold Medalist in the 400m
- First-team All-American in the 400m and 4x400m- 2022
- NCAA Champion in the 4x400m relay- 2022
Ashley Kovacs (nee Muffet), USA Throws Coach, Athletics/Track and Field (2007-10)
- Has coached at WKU, Ohio State and Vanderbilt
- Coaches her husband Joe Kovacs, who is a two-time Olympic Silver Medalist in the shot put
- Four-time All-American in discus and shot put
- Two-time SEC Champion
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, USA Athletics/Track and Field (UK 2018)
- Olympic Gold Medalist in the 400m hurdles at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Olympic Record 51.46
- World Record in the 400m hurdles since June 2021 and has improved upon her record four times, progressing from 51.90 to 50.65
- NCAA and SEC Champion in the 400m hurdles in her freshman and only season at UK
- Collegiate record holder (52.75 – 400m hurdles)
Daniel Roberts, USA Athletics/Track and Field (UK 2017-2019)
- Three-time U.S. Champion in the 110m Hurdles- 2019, 2022, 2023
- Finished third in the 100m hurdles at the US Olympic Team Trials
- Two-time NCAA silver medalist (60m hurdles and 110m hurdles – 2019)
- SEC 110m hurdles champion (2019)
Masai Russell, USA Athletics/Track and Field (UK 2018-2023)
- Gold Medalist at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the 100m hurdles
- Silver Medalist at the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Championships- 100H, 400H, 4×100 relay
- Holds the NCAA Record in the 100m Hurdles (12.36)
- Eleven-time All-American
DIVING
Julia Vincent, South Africa Diving (Volunteer Assistant Coach/South Carolina alum)
- Making third Olympic appearance, competed in the 3-meter Springboard at the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games
- Three-time NCAA All-American while competing for the University of South Carolina (1-meter dive and 3-meter dive in 2018, 1-meter dive in 2016)
- 2017 SEC Champion in the 1-meter dive
- Graduated with both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees
- Kentucky volunteer assistant coach (2022-2024)
Ted Hautau, South Africa Diving Coach
- Kentucky head diving coach for the past 16 seasons
- Julia Vincent’s coach
- Has coached 11 student-athletes to a combined 40 All-America honors at UK
- 2021 SEC Men’s Diving Coach of the Year
FENCING
Lee Kiefer, USA Fencing (UK College of Medicine/Notre Dame Alum)
- Making fourth Olympic appearance
- Olympic Gold Medalist in the Individual Foil, Tokyo 2020
- First fencer to win 10 Pan American Championship titles
- Won Bronze at the 2023 World Championships in the Individual Foil
- Four-time NCAA Champion while at Notre Dame
Gerek Meinhardt, USA Fencing (UK College of Medicine/Notre Dame Alum)
- Making fifth Olympic appearance, competed in the 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020 Olympic Games
- Two-time Olympic Bronze Medalist- Tokyo 2020, Rio 2016
- First men’s fencer from the US to win a medal at the Senior World Championship- 2010
- Two-time NCAA Champion and four-time All-American at Notre Dame, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees
