Dear Friends,
We’re proud of our rich Olympic heritage at CU Boulder, and the Winter Olympics this month in Pyeongchang, South Korea, is no exception.
We have six Buffs competing at the Winter Olympics, including psychology major Arielle Gold of Steamboat Springs who has claimed a bronze medal in snowboarding. Others are working there.
Arielle was joined in South Korea by Casey Andringa, freestyle skiing; Brian Hansen, speed skating; Petra Hyncicova, Nordic skiing; Joanne Reid, biathlon; Kendall Wesenberg, skeleton; and Barb Bogner, manager of the CU Student Recreation Center ice rink, who is a member of the Olympic ice maintenance crew!
Two CU Boulder alumni are working as broadcasters at the Olympics. Cheryl Preheim (Comm’95) and Abby Chin (Jour’03) are reporting live from Pyeongchang. Mechanical engineering junior JT Abate is ‘forerunning’—or preparing the course for—the Olympic skiing events.
CU Boulder claims 101 Olympians, including coaches, in the summer and winter games since 1948, earning 17 medals (seven gold, three silver and seven bronze). Thirty-six of our Olympians have competed more than once. Casey Puckett competed five times from 1992 to 2010 in alpine and freestyle skiing.
The first Buff to compete in the Winter Olympics was alpine skier Buddy Werner in the 1956 games. The first to medal were Billy Kidd and Jimmy Huega—in the same event in 1964, the slalom.
Our first Buff to make the U.S. Olympic team was David Bolen, a track standout in 1948. He finished fourth in the 400 meters and went on to serve as a U.S. ambassador to four countries—appointed by two presidents.
We have much to take pride in at CU Boulder: the success and leadership of our students and graduates, our innovations and discoveries, our contributions to humanity and our Olympians.
Go Buffs!
Sincerely,
Philip P. DiStefano,
Chancellor
www.colorado.edu/chancellor
