OLYMPIC TRADITION | RIO 2016
Pepperdine will be sending seven alums to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympics, and three other alums will be serving as coaches. Four first-time Olympians bring the University's all-time total to 52. The seven Olympic athletes are the fourth-most in University history. Previous Pepperdine athletes have won a total of seven gold medals, eight silver medals and three bronze medals.
Pepperdine's Complete Olympic History
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ATHLETES
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SARAH ATTAR
Women's Track / Saudi Arabia
Sarah Attar '14 is running at the Olympics for the second time. She made history in 2012 at the London Games, becoming one of the first two female athletes ever to represent Saudi Arabia. She is one of four female competitors for Saudi Arabia in 2016. Attar earned four letters in cross country and three in track while at Pepperdine, and was a three-time WCC All-Academic honorable mention selection. Update:Â After debuting in the 800 meters in 2012, Attar switched to her more natural long-distance running in 2016 and competed in the women's marathon. An inspiration to many, her efforts as a pioneer contributing to the advancement of women's athletes in Saudi Arabia continued. Attar finished 132nd overall with a time of 3:16:11 (156 started the race). |
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MIRANDA AYIM
Women's Basketball / Canada
Miranda Ayim '10 is making her second appearance at the Olympics. In 2012, she and Canada reached the quarterfinals for the first time in the nation's history. She was a three-time All-WCC first teamer and was the Division I-AAA Women's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2009-10. Ayim set the school record for career blocked shots. She had a brief stint in the WNBA after graduation. Update: Ayim helped the Canadians to the quarterfinals for the second straight Olympics. Canada went 3-2 in pool play before a quarterfinal loss to France. Ayim started all six games and averaged 4.7 points and 2.2 rebounds. She scored 10 points in a win against China. |
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ROXANNE BARKER
Women's Soccer / South Africa
Roxanne Barker '13 is competing in the Olympics for the second time. Barker earned the starting goalkeeper nod for South Africa's first-ever Olympic game four years ago. She earned All-WCC all four years at Pepperdine, twice on the second team and twice on honorable mention, and recorded more wins (47) than any other goalkeeper in school history. Update: Barker started all three games at the Olympics, and though South Africa went out with a 0-2-1 record, she gave up only three goals in three matches and made many big stops in a 0-0 draw with Brazil, the host nation. |
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KIM HILL
Women's Volleyball / USA
Kim Hill '12 has made her first Olympic team. She quickly made an impact on the world stage, earning the MVP award at the 2014 FIVB World Championships as the Americans won gold. Hill was a three-time All-American with the indoor team, and is the first and only student-athlete to earn AVCA All-American first team honors for both indoor and beach volleyball in the same year. Update: Hill made some history, bringing back a bronze medal with the USA women. She started all seven matches and averaged 11.9 points per contest, including team highs of 19 in the bronze-medal match against the Netherlands and 15 in the quarterfinal win over Japan. Hill is the third female Pepperdine alum ever to medal at the Olympics, and the first since 1984. |
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MERRILL MOSES
Men's Water Polo / USA
Merrill Moses '98 will be playing in his third Olympics. He won a silver medal in 2008 and was the goalkeeper again in 2012. Moses helped lead Pepperdine to the 1997 NCAA championship, where he was named tri-MVP, and he was a three-time All-American. Moses is also an assistant coach at Pepperdine and will be in his fifth season on the staff this fall. Update: Moses saw action in four of the five games and recorded a total of 33 saves, including 10 apiece against Croatia and Spain. The USA went 2-3 and did not advance out of pool play. |
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JESSE SMITH
Men's Water Polo / USA
Jesse Smith '06 will become the first Wave to compete at four different Olympics. He was on the team in 2004, 2008 and 2012, and won a silver medal in 2008. He's scored 15 career goals at the Olympics, including a best of nine in 2004. Smith was a four-time All-American at Pepperdine (three times on the first team). Update: Smith played in all five games for the USA and scored one goal, which came against France. The U.S. squad went 2-3 and did not advance out of pool play. |
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FRED WINTERS
Men's Volleyball / Canada
Fred Winters '04 is another first-time Olympian. He's played for Canada for more than a decade and helped the country qualify for the Olympics for the first time since 1992. He won a bronze medal at the 2015 Pan Am Games, and is coming off a first-place showing at the FIVB World League Group 2. Winters earned AVCA All-American first team honors at Pepperdine in 2004 and second team status in 2003. Update: Winters, Canada's team captain, helped lead the team to the quarterfinals. Canada went 3-2 in pool play before a quarterfinal loss to Russia. Winters came off the bench to appear in three matches. |
    COACHES
- Pepperdine men's volleyball coach  Marv Dunphy  '74 will be coaching at his seventh Olympics. He was the head coach of the gold medal-winning USA men's team in 1988. In 2016, he's a scouting coach with the USA women.
- Men's water polo alums  Jack Kocur  '97 and  Alex Rodriguez  '98 are assistants with the USA men's water polo team, and they are headed to the Olympics for the first time.
OTHER PEPPERDINE CONNECTIONS
- Women's beach volleyball assistant coach  Marcio Sicoli  (a native of Brazil) is the USA beach volleyball coach for the team of April Ross and Kerri Walsh Jennings.  Update:  Sicoli helped Ross and Walsh Jennings to earn the bronze medal.
- Men's volleyball assistant coach  David Hunt  is a assistant coach with the USA women, and men's volleyball volunteer assistant coach  Kayla Banwarth  is a libero on the USA women's volleyball team.
- Men's volleyball alums  Kevin Barnett  '97 and  Dain Blanton  '94 are both analysts for NBC.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTSWednesday, August 3
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Roxanne Barker - WSOC South Africa vs. Sweden L, 0-1 
 WatchSaturday, August 6
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Moses/Smith - MWP USA vs. Croatia L, 5-7 WatchMiranda Ayim - WBKB Canada vs. China W, 90-68 Â WatchKim Hill - WVB USA vs. Puerto Rico W, 3-0 Â WatchRoxanne Barker - WSOC South Africa vs. China L, 0-2 Â WatchSunday, August 7
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Fred Winters - MVB Canada vs. USA W, 3-0 Â WatchMonday, August 8
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Moses/Smith - MWP USA vs. Spain L, 9-10 Â WatchMiranda Ayim - WBKB Canada vs. Serbia W, 71-67 Â WatchKim Hill - WVB USA vs. Netherlands W, 3-2 Â WatchTuesday, August 9
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Roxanne Barker - WSOC South Africa vs. Brazil T, 0-0 Â WatchFred Winters - MVB Canada vs. Brazil L, 1-3 Â WatchWednesday, August 10
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Moses/Smith - MWP USA vs. France W, 6-3 WatchKim Hill - WVB USA vs. Serbia W, 3-1 WatchMiranda Ayim - WBKB Canada vs. Senegal W, 68-58 WatchThursday, August 11
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Fred Winters - MVB Canada vs. France L, 0-3 WatchFriday, August 12
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Moses/Smith - MWP USA vs. Montenegro L, 5-8 WatchKim Hill - WVB USA vs. Italy W, 3-1 WatchMiranda Ayim - WBKB Canada vs. USA L, 51-81 WatchSaturday, August 13
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Fred Winters - MVB Canada vs. Mexico W, 3-0 WatchSunday, August 14
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Sarah Attar Marathon 3:16.11 (132nd) WatchMoses/Smith - MWP USA vs. Italy W, 10-7 WatchKim Hill - WVB USA vs. China W, 3-1 WatchMiranda Ayim - WBKB Canada vs. Spain L, 60-73 WatchMonday, August 15
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Fred Winters - MVB Canada vs. Italy W, 3-1 WatchTuesday, August 16
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Kim Hill - WVB USA vs. Japan (QF) W, 3-0 WatchMiranda Ayim - WBKB Canada vs. France (QF) L, 63-68 WatchWednesday, August 17
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Fred Winters - MVB Canada vs. Russia (QF) L, 0-3 WatchThursday, August 18
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Kim Hill - WVB USA vs. Serbia (SF) L, 2-3 Â WatchSaturday, August 20
Athlete Opponent / Event Time / Result Coverage Kim Hill - WVB USA vs. Netherlands (3rd/4th) W, 3-1
BRONZE MEDALWatchOFFICIAL RIO SITE
- Â Rio 2016 Official Site
- Schedule/Events
- Tickets
- Olympic Athletes
- Participating Countries
- Live Coverage
- YouTube
