Five former Terrapins athletes and two current coaches will be participating in the London Olympics. Catch every event live, online, at NBCOlympics.com. Live and taped events will also be seen on NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, the NBC Sports Network and Bravo.
Nataly Arias, Colombia
From: Alexandria, Va.
Sport: Women’s soccer
With Terps: Arias played four years at midfield for the Terps. She made the ACC All-Freshman Team in 2004, and finished her collegiate career with 13 goals and 7 assists.
Olympic experience: This will be Arias’ first Olympics appearance.
What to expect: Arias will play right-side defender for Colombia, a team that with little chance of securing a quarterfinal berth.
Quotable: “We know what we’re up against and we welcome the challenge,” Arias said in an interview with The Washington Post. “The Olympics are another step in our growth.”
Ekene Ibekwe, Nigeria
Age: 27
From: Carson, Calif.
Sport: Men’s basketball
With Terps: Ibekwe played forward for the Terps for four years (2003-2007). He averaged 10.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.7 blocks his senior season.
Olympic experience: This is Ibekwe’s first experience in the Olympics. He played for Nigeria in the 2006 FIBA World Championship.
What to expect: Ibekwe should start at forward for a Nigeria squad that has little chance of medalling in London.
Quotable: “Representing my Nigerian heritage playing basketball is a great thing for me,” Ibekwe said in an interview with Ridiculous Upside. “I’m using what I love to do to represent my family and the people that I stand for.”
Sarunas Jasikevicius, Lithuania
Age: 36
From: Kaunas, Lithuania
Sport: Men’s basketball
With Terps: Jasikevicius played wing for the Terps from 1994-1998. After playing limited minutes his first two years, he averaged 11.5 points and 3.4 assists over his junior and senior seasons.
Olympic experience: Jasikevicius has participated in the past three Summer Games. He averaged 14 points and 5.1 assists as Lithuania captured bronze in 2000.
What to expect: Jasikevicius will be a key component of a Lithuania squad that has an outside chance of reaching the medal podium.
Quotable: “Thank God there will be a fourth,” Jasikevicius said in an interview with the Lithuania Tribune. “Our game is getting better, but we need to get much better between now and then. We must protect our health and stay in shape.”
Missy Meharg (announcer)
Age: 49
From: Severna Park
Sport: Women’s field hockey
With Terps: Meharg has coached the Terps the past 25 seasons. She has been named National Coach of the Year an unprecedented nine times, and claimed eight national titles.
Olympic experience: Meharg has no experience either playing or coaching in the Olympics.
What to expect: Meharg will be the lone color commentator for NBC’s Olympic field hockey coverage. She will call games out of 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, and will work alongside play-by-play announcer Mike Corey.
Quotable: “I don’t know exactly how I got selected,” Meharg said. “But I’m pleased about that decision, and I look forward to sharing the sport with many people in this country that don’t know much about it unfortunately.”
Katie O’Donnell, United States
Age: 23
From: Blue Bell, Pa.
Sport: Women’s field hockey
With the Terps: A four-time All American, O’Donnell led the Terps to national titles in 2008 and 2010. She will return to College Park this fall as a student-assistant coach.
Olympic experience: O’Donnell is making her Olympic debut in London. She has started at center forward on the national team since 2009, and has already earned 112 international caps
What to expect: O’Donnell has emerged as the face of a U.S. field hockey team that figures to have its best chance of medalling since claiming bronze in Los Angeles in 1984. The U.S. won the Pan American Games last October, and should benefit from a field that features no clear favorite.
Quotable: “To me, unity is such a big piece,” O’Donnell said. “And right now, we’re working towards having a lot of unity. I think that’ll take us very far into the Olympic games, and we have a very good possibility of medalling.”
Keli Smith Puzo, United States
Age: 33
From: Selinsgrove, Pa.
Sport: Women’s field hockey
With Terps: Smith Puzo was a three-time All American, and helped the Terps to a national title in 1999.
Olympic experience: This is Smith Puzo’s second Olympic appearance. She was a part of a U.S. team that finished eighth among the 12 that competed in Beijing in 2008.
What to expect: Smith Puzo should start on the forward line alongside O’Donnell in London. She should have a chance at medalling in what will likely be her last Olympics.
Quotable: “I think that our biggest goal going into 2008 was first to qualify,” Smith Puzo said. “And four years later in 2012, we expected to qualify. So the goal wasn’t to qualify, the expectation was to qualify. Now our expectation is to hit the podium.”
Andrew Valmon, United States (coach)
Age: 47
From: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Sport: Men’s outdoor track and field
With Terps: Valmon has coached Terrapins track and field the past nine seasons, including seven as the cross country coach. He has helped the Terps earn nine All-America honors.
Olympic experience: This is Valmon’s first time coaching the U.S. men’s track and field team in the Olympics. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Valmon served as a Team USA assistant at the 2009 World Outdoor Championships in Berlin. He was also the head coach for the 2010 World Indoor Championships team in Doha, Qatar.
What to expect: Valmon, whose Terps men’s indoor track and field and cross country teams were recently cut, hopes to help a U.S. men’s team rebound from a disappointing 2008 Olympics. The U.S. track program has a decent chance to achieve its goal of 30 medals – seven more than it claimed in Beijing.
Quotable: “Any time you get the opportunity to coach Team USA, you’re not going to turn it down,” Valmon said. “There’s really no better reward for someone in my position.”
letourneau@umdbk.com
