For many athletes, the road to Olympic glory begins in Cougar country.

Since 1956, more than 50 Olympic athletes have emerged from the University of Houston’s athletics department, 18 of whom have received medals for their accomplishments.

Among the Olympic medallists who honed their skills at UH are track legend Carl Lewis, basketball superstars Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon, and recent diving sensation Yulia Pakhalina.

Any medallist will attest that Olympic victory doesn’t come without years of preparation and concentration. Under the guiding hands of UH’s athletics programs, many future Olympians are provided the inspiration necessary to take their performances to the highest levels.

“My preparation for the Olympics started when I joined the UH volleyball team in 1978,” said Rose Magers-Powell, former Cougar and silver medallist with the 1984 U.S. Women’s Volleyball team. “Our head coach at the time, Ruth Nelson prepared me both mentally and physically.”

Magers-Powell is now head women’s volleyball coach for Martin-Methodist College in Pulaski, Tenn. Two other former UH volleyball players Flo Hyman, who passed away in 1986, and Rita Buck-Crockett also were on the 1984 silver medal team.

Buck-Crockett recalls seeing a newspaper the day after her team was presented with its medals. Looking at the photo of herself and two fellow former Cougars celebrating, she was happy that the team’s euphoria could be captured for the world to see.

“It’s a feeling you can’t describe,” said Buck-Crockett, now an associate head volleyball coach for Florida State University. “Receiving Olympic medals doesn’t happen everyday. Having a medal draped over you for all of your hard work and sacrifice while representing your country is incredible. I put this moment up there with being a mother. The experience is that special.”

Leroy Burrell agrees.

The former Cougar track star and current UH head track and field coach added that receiving an Olympic medal is indeed the ultimate goal for an athlete, but the feeling of actually making the Olympic team is almost as exciting.

“Making the Olympic team had been my lifelong dream,” he said. “Having a goal like that and reaching it was a relief. When I made the team, it felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders.”

Burrell received a gold medal in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain as part of the men’s 400-meter relay team, which included fellow UH alumnus Lewis.

Although he represented the United States in Barcelona, Burrell also felt he was representing his university.

“UH has had a long history of excellence on the Olympic level,” he said. “Going to school here, I knew the athletic tradition and that I had the right people around me. I felt not only a sense of accomplishment for myself, but for the university and its track and field program.”

For a list of UH Athletics All-Time Olympians, go to
http://uhcougars.collegesports.com/trads/hou-trads-olympian.html.

Recent Cougar Olympians include:

Yulia Pakhalina 2000 Russia Gold medal
Azul Almazan 2000 Mexico
Dawn Burrell 2000 USA
Michelle Collins 2000 USA