Olympic Domination: UVA Sets School Medal Record in Paris

August 12, 2024 By Andrew Ramspacher, fpa5up@virginia.edu Andrew Ramspacher, fpa5up@virginia.edu

Had the University of Virginia been its own nation at the 2024 Summer Olympics, competing against the 200-plus other countries in France, it would have finished with the 16th-most medals, ahead of Uzbekistan and just behind Spain.

The Cavaliers dominated Paris. 

Thanks to Pien Dicke of the Netherlands field hockey team and Emily Sonnett of the United States women’s soccer team, UVA finished the Games’ final days on a high note with two more gold medals. Wahoo-affiliated athletes garnered 14 medals – seven gold, five silver and two bronze – over the 16 days in France, breaking a school record previously set three years ago at the Tokyo Games when the Hoos came home with nine.

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According to the U.S. Olympic Committee, only Stanford University-affiliated athletes accumulated more medals than UVA. 

 

 

Dicke, a 2017 All-American and the Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year in her lone season at UVA, was moved to the Netherlands’ active roster for its Friday gold-medal game against China. 

After tying the game at 1-1 in the fourth quarter, the Dutch took gold, winning a shootout with China, 3-1.

Dicke, the third Olympian in UVA field hockey program history, is the first to earn a medal. 

 

 

Sonnett, a two-time All-American and the 2015 ESPNW National Player of the Year while at UVA, helped the U.S. earn a 1-0 win over Brazil in Saturday’s gold medal match. Sonnett, a defender, entered in the 74th minute and played a key role in the U.S. securing its fourth shutout in six Olympic games. 

Sonnett is now a two-time Olympic medalist after being a part of the team that won bronze in Tokyo. 

 

 

UVA athletes across four sports – swimming, rowing, field hockey and soccer – combined for the 14 medals in Paris. Though coaches are not awarded medals directly, alumna Tammi Reiss – one of the best basketball players in UVA history – helped lead the U.S. women’s basketball 3x3 team to a bronze medal, serving as an assistant coach. 

The Paralympics, beginning Aug. 28, are next up in Paris and will feature UVA athletes competing in rowing (Skylar Dahl), goalball (Matt Simpson) and cycling (Aaron Keith). 

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