Mississippi State Joins USOPC for #OlympiansMadeHere Campaign
July 24, 2019 | Baseball, Cross Country, Football, Athletics, Track & Field
by Brian Ogden, Assistant Coordinator/Communications
STARKVILLE – As athletes across the world prepare for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, Mississippi State has partnered with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee for the inaugural Olympians Made Here campaign.
Developed with the USOPC Collegiate Advisory Council, the non-commercial solidarity campaign was designed to highlight and elevate Olympic sport opportunities on college campuses.
More than 80 percent of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team and one-third of the 2018 U.S. Olympic Team competed collegiately. Eighty-five percent of American medalists in Rio had ties to collegiate athletic programs.
Twenty athletes and coaches have represented MSU at the Games, including 10 members of Team USA. State's Olympians have won six medals and three have athletic facilities named after them.
MSU's first Olympian, Don Scott, lends his name to Scott Field at Davis-Wade Stadium. Scott is one of two Bulldog football players to have also competed in track and field at an Olympic Games along with C.S. Cochran. Cochran was the first MSU athlete to win a medal when he brought back a gold in the 4x400m relay from the 1924 Paris Games.
Track and field athletes make up the majority of State's Olympic roster, with 17 total Olympians. W.O. Spencer also competed in track and field at the 1924 Games, and Spencer Stadium at the Mike Sanders Track Complex bears his name. Most recently, Marta Pen Freitas (Portugal) and Brandon McBride (Canada) competed at the 2016 Rio Games.
The Diamond Dawgs have sent both players and coaches to the Summer Games. Bulldog legend Ron Polk won gold (1988) and bronze (1996) medals as an assistant coach for Team USA. Will Clark played for the U.S. in 1984, and B.J. Wallace donned the Stars and Stripes in 1992.
While the campaign has been led by the USOPC, schools across the country will be honoring their Olympians from all nations. MSU will be recognizing its prior Olympians throughout the athletic year. Beginning in January, MSU will follow current and former Bulldog student-athletes as they attempt to qualify for Olympic rosters.
The 2020 Olympic Games begin with the opening ceremony on July 24. Competition in Tokyo will continue until Aug. 9. State's previous Olympians are listed below.
STARKVILLE – As athletes across the world prepare for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, Mississippi State has partnered with the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee for the inaugural Olympians Made Here campaign.
Developed with the USOPC Collegiate Advisory Council, the non-commercial solidarity campaign was designed to highlight and elevate Olympic sport opportunities on college campuses.
More than 80 percent of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team and one-third of the 2018 U.S. Olympic Team competed collegiately. Eighty-five percent of American medalists in Rio had ties to collegiate athletic programs.
Twenty athletes and coaches have represented MSU at the Games, including 10 members of Team USA. State's Olympians have won six medals and three have athletic facilities named after them.
MSU's first Olympian, Don Scott, lends his name to Scott Field at Davis-Wade Stadium. Scott is one of two Bulldog football players to have also competed in track and field at an Olympic Games along with C.S. Cochran. Cochran was the first MSU athlete to win a medal when he brought back a gold in the 4x400m relay from the 1924 Paris Games.
Track and field athletes make up the majority of State's Olympic roster, with 17 total Olympians. W.O. Spencer also competed in track and field at the 1924 Games, and Spencer Stadium at the Mike Sanders Track Complex bears his name. Most recently, Marta Pen Freitas (Portugal) and Brandon McBride (Canada) competed at the 2016 Rio Games.
The Diamond Dawgs have sent both players and coaches to the Summer Games. Bulldog legend Ron Polk won gold (1988) and bronze (1996) medals as an assistant coach for Team USA. Will Clark played for the U.S. in 1984, and B.J. Wallace donned the Stars and Stripes in 1992.
While the campaign has been led by the USOPC, schools across the country will be honoring their Olympians from all nations. MSU will be recognizing its prior Olympians throughout the athletic year. Beginning in January, MSU will follow current and former Bulldog student-athletes as they attempt to qualify for Olympic rosters.
The 2020 Olympic Games begin with the opening ceremony on July 24. Competition in Tokyo will continue until Aug. 9. State's previous Olympians are listed below.
|
NAME
|
SPORT
|
NATION
|
YEAR
|
EVENTS
|
MEDALS
|
| Don Scott |
TF/FB |
USA |
1920 1924 |
800m Pentathlon |
-- -- |
| C.S. Cochran | TF/FB | USA | 1924 | 4x400m Relay | Gold |
| E.C. Hayes | TF | USA | 1924 | Assistant Coach | -- |
| Lee Priester | TF | USA | 1924 | Javelin | -- |
| W.O. Spencer |
TF |
USA |
1924 1928 |
1500m Steeplechase |
-- -- |
| Sid Robinson | TF | USA | 1928 | 1500m | -- |
| Lee Palles | TF | USA | 1980 | Decathlon | -- |
| Will Clark | BSB | USA | 1984 | Baseball | -- |
| Simeon Kigen | TF | KEN | 1984 | Steeplechase | -- |
| Falilatu Ogunkoya |
TF |
NGR |
1988 1992 1996 2000 |
200m, 400m, 4x400m Relay 200m, 400m, 4x400m Relay 200m, 400m, 4x400m Relay 200m, 400m, 4x400m Relay |
-- -- Silver (4x400m), Bronze (400m) -- |
| Ron Polk |
BSB |
USA |
1988 1996 |
Baseball (Assistant Coach) Baseball (Assistant Coach) |
Gold Bronze |
| B.J. Wallace | BSB | USA | 1992 | Baseball | -- |
| Festus Igbinoghene | TF | NGR | 1996 | Triple Jump | -- |
| Jude Monye |
TF |
NGR |
1996 2000 |
400m 400m, 4x400m Relay |
-- Gold (4x400m) |
| Julius Sedame | TF | GHA | 1996 | 4x400m Relay | -- |
| Pierre Browne |
TF |
CAN |
2000 2004 2008 |
100m, 200m, 4x100m Relay 100m, 200m, 4x100m Relay 100m, 200m, 4x100m Relay |
-- -- -- |
| Dion Crabbe | TF | IVB | 2004 | 200m | -- |
| Daundre Barnaby | TF | CAN | 2012 | 400m | -- |
| Marta Pen Freitas | TF | POR | 2016 | 1500m | -- |
| Brandon McBride | TF | CAN | 2016 | 800m | -- |
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