Aug. 12, 2004

Aug. 12 - Every four years the world's greatest athletes converge to compete in the summer Olympics. In 2004, some of the very best current and former West Coast Conference student-athletes will be among the elite group of athletes making the trip to Athens to compete for their respective countries.

In all, 14 current and former WCC student-athletes will be competing in this year's summer Olympic games, representing five different countries. They range from well known celebrities such as Brandi Chastain, a former Santa Clara University women's soccer standout, to first time Olympic participants such as University of San Diego alum Ali Cox, who will compete on the women's rowing Eight team.

For many of these athletes, it is their first Olympic games. While many of them competed on the national level in college, the Olympics is a whole new level.

"I can't stop smiling and I can't stop talking," said former SCU women's soccer standout, and current member of the U.S. Olympic team, Aly Wagner. "I swear someone is going to tell me to shut up at some point. I see a tree, and I'm like, 'Hey guys, look at the Olympic tree!' But seriously, it's amazing. I had no idea how huge the village would be. The dining hall is bigger than my high school."

A pair of former Gonzaga University men's basketball players head to Athens, Greece in search of an Olympic gold medal for Australia. John Rillie and Paul Rogers are among the 12-man Boomers squad that will compete in the Olympic games. Rogers, who was a member of the Bulldogs 1995 inaugural NCAA Tournament team, will be playing in his second Olympics as he helped the Boomers to a fourth place finish in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Gonzaga women's soccer player Walker Loseno, a senior for the Bulldogs this season, will play for host Greece.

The 2004 Olympic Games in Athens will have representation from Loyola Marymount, as three student-athletes, both past and current, will participate in this year's games. The women's water polo program will be represented by a pair of current student-athletes in Rachel Riddell (2007) and Christine Robinson (2008) while Reid Priddy, a three-time All-American for men's volleyball, will also play in his first Olympic games.

Pepperdine senior All-American Jesse Smith was one of 13 players named the U.S. men's water polo Olympic team. Legendary Pepperdine men's volleyball head coach Marv Dunphy will assist the indoor team and join up with former player Kevin Barnett. This is Dunphy's second tour of duty with the men's Olympic team, after guiding the U.S. to the gold medal as the head coach in 1988. Meanwhile, the Waves' own Dain Blanton will search for his second Olympic Gold Medal in Athens on the sand in beach volleyball.

Along with Cox, the University of San Diego will be sending former women's volleyball standout, Petia Yanchulova (1995-99), a two-time First Team All-America, to Athens to participate in the sport of beach volleyball. She will team up with her sister, Lina, to form one of the 24 women's teams selected to participate by the FIVB (International Volleyball Federation). Petia and Lina, both currently residents of San Diego, will represent Bulgaria.

San Jose, Calif. natives and former Santa Clara University women's soccer All-Americans, Aly Wagner and Chastain will represent the U.S. on the women's soccer Olympic team. One of the best attacking defenders and most skillful players in the world, Chastain will be competing in her third Olympic games, having been a key player on the U.S. 1996 and 2000 teams. Wagner, the 2002 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy Award winner, is one of the most talented playmakers in the world and is making her first Olympic games.

Below is a complete list of West Coast Conference current and former student-athletes competing in the 2004 Olympic games.

WCC In the Olympics Kevin Barnett, Pepperdine (1996-97) - Men's Volleyball (USA) Dain Blanton, Pepperdine (1991-94) - Men's Beach Volleyball (USA) Brandi Chastain, Santa Clara - (1989-90) - Women's Soccer (USA) Ali Cox, San Diego (1998-01) - Women's Rowing (USA) Marv Dunphy, Pepperdine (pres.) - Men's Volleyball Head Coach Advisor (USA) Walker Loseno, Gonzaga (pres.) - Women's Soccer (Greece) Reid Priddy, Loyola Marymount (1997-2000) - Men's Volleyball (USA) Rachel Riddell, Loyola Marymount (pres.) - Women's Water Polo (Canada) John Rille, Gonzaga (1993-95) - Men's Basketball (Australia) Christine Robinson, Loyola Marymount (pres.) - Women's Water Polo (Canada) Paul Rogers, Gonzaga (1995-97) - Men's Basketball (Australia) Jesse Smith, Pepperdine (pres.) - Men's Water Polo (USA) Aly Wagner, Santa Clara - (1998-2002) - Women's Soccer (USA) Petia Yanchulova, San Diego - (1995-99) - Women's Beach Volleyball (Bulgaria)