CU Boulder's Olympic Games Legacy

Boulder has long been a mecca for outdoor adventure, and CU’s strong historic presence at the Olympic Games proves it. Since 1948, the university has produced over 90 Olympic athletes who have competed in events across the globe. In honor of the upcoming Tokyo Games, here’s a look at CU’s storied history of Olympians.

CU had the most Summer Olympians in its history in 2000 (8) and the most Winter Olympians in 1972 (13).

Over 90 CU Boulder Forever Buffs have attended the Olympics. Among universities and colleges with the most Olympians, CU ranks 10th. 

20 medals have been won by CU Olympians in total (9 Gold, 4 Silver, 7 Bronze). 

1st: CU has more affiliated Olympic cyclists (13) and alpine skiers (29) than any other university and ranks second in shooting sports (7) and third in judo (6).

6 Olympic coaches have been affiliated with CU.

CU Boulder 2020 Olympians* 

• Emma Coburn (Mktg'13), 3,000-meter steeplechase, Team USA
• Val Constien (EnvEngr'18), 3,000-meter steeplechase, Team USA
• Flora Duffy (Soc'13), Triathalon, Team Bermuda
• Erin Huck (MechEng'04), Mountain Bike, Team USA
• Joe Klecker (BioChem'20), 10,000-meter run, Team USA
• Morgan Pearson (Econ, Math'16), Triathalon, Team USA
• Jacob Riley (MMechEng'21), Marathon, Team USA
• Melissa Stockwell (Comm'02), Triathalon, Team USA

CU Boulder-affiliated 2020 Olympic Journalists*

Read about CU Boulder's cadre of Olympic Games journalists, veterans and first-timers alike, some reporting in person and others from as far away as Berlin.

• John Branch (Mktg'89, MJour'96), New York Times reporter
• Greg Bull (Jour'91), AP photographer covering gymnastics
• Marina Dmukhovskaya (CU instructor), Olympics.com team
• Kara Goucher (Psych'01), NBC broadcaster 
• Peter Lasser (Comm'76), NBC producer 
• Cheryl Preheim (Comm'95), NBC Atlanta reporter
• Carl Quintanilla (PoliSci'93), NBC host team
• Lina Takahashi (Jour'19), NBC Sports Group, Olympic Games management assistant

Learn more about all 2020 CU system Olympians.

*The Coloradan staff is tracking this information as it becomes available. Please reach out to editor@colorado.edu if you'd like to add to the list. Go Buffs!

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Photo courtesy CU Athletics (Ceal Barry, Robert Jeangerard and Jenny Simpson); CU Heritage Center (David Bolen); Billy Kidd