University of Tennessee Athletics
Follow former Lady Vols at the Olympics
August 11, 2008 | Women's Basketball
| FOLLOW FORMER LADY VOLS AT THE 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (AP and Reuters Photos)
(All Times Eastern) Abbott pitches in relief in Olympic debut Wednesday, August 13
BEIJING - Former Lady Vol All-American Monica Abbott pitched a scoreless 1-2-3 fifth inning as the USA Softball team opened the 2008 Olympic Games by making a statement in breaking an Olympic record for most runs scored in a game by a single team and tying an Olympic record with three homeruns. The three-time defending Gold Medal winning team captured an 11-0 victory in five innings against Olympic rookie team Venezuela. Breaking its own previous record which was 10 runs from the 2004 Olympic Games, the U.S. used 11 hits including three home runs and a base clearing double to improve to a 15-game win Olympic win streak dating back to 2000. Abbott and starter Jennie Finch combined on the no-hit performance Up next the U.S. will battle a familiar foe in 2004 Olympic silver medal winning team Australia. The U.S. is 20-7 overall against Australia in major international competition (Olympics, World Championships, and World Cups). Game time is Noon on Wednesday, August 13 Click HERE to read the full game recap.
Magnuson appears on the Today Show Monday, August 11 Fresh off of her Olympic Silver Medal winning performance in the 100m butterfly, Christine Magnuson was interviewd on the Monday morning Today Show. View the Today Show interview. USA Women Easily Dismantle Host China, 108-63 Monday, August 11 Box Score (PDF) | Quotes | Photos
Former Lady Vols Candace Parker scored 12, while Tamika Catchings added five and Kara Lawson four as the USA Women's basketball teamed routed China, 108-63, for their second win in Olympic pool play. Parker connected on six of seven field goals with five rebounds in 18 minutes. Lawson handed out five assists with three rounds and Catchings had five rebounds and two steals. Tina Thompson scored 13 of her 27 points during a 23-0 run in the first quarter and the U.S. routed China, taking the boisterous crowd out of the game early. After the scoring run, the women never looked back. Bian Lan finally ended China's 6 1/2 minute scoreless drought early in the second quarter with a jumper that rattled around the rim before dropping in. China missed 12 straight shots and turned the ball over three times during its drought. The U.S. (2-0) didn't stop at its 22-point lead, extending its advantage to 61-27 at the half. The Americans cruised the rest of the way. China figured to be the toughest test for the Americans in their pool. Up next will be a matchup with Mali (0-2), which lost Hamchetou Maiga of the Houston Comets to an ankle injury in the third quarter of a 81-47 loss to the Czechs. Click HERE to read the rest of the game report. Christine Magnuson wins Silver medal Sunday, August 10 VIDEO: 100m Butterfly Final | Magnuson on Today Show
Magnuson finished second behind Australia'>s Libby Trickett in a time of 57.10. Trickett won the gold in 56.73, while fellow Aussie Jessicah Schipper grabbed the bronze in 57.25. Magnuson was third at the halfway mark, touching the wall .02 behind Schipper at 26.95, but was able to edge her out for the silver. Magnuson, using her unique side-breathing technique, became the first former Lady Vol to win an individual swimming medal in the Olympics. Julia Stowers won a relay gold in 2000 before attending Tennessee. In the semifinals on Saturday night, the Tinley Park, Ill., native broke Natalie Coughlina's American record by swimming a time of 57.08. CoughlinâÂ?TMs old record was 57.34. Magnuson opened her first-ever Olympic competition by winning her preliminary heat in the 100m fly in 57.70 on Saturday morning. Magnuson's previous career best before the Olympics night was 57.50, which she set in the semifinals of the Olympic Trials in June. She has a chance to grab another medal later in the week. Magnuson will probably swim the butterfly leg of the 4x100 medley relay. The medley relay heats begin Friday morning and the finals will be Saturday night. Magnuson captured the 100m fly title at the Olympic Trials by swimming 58.11 in the finals. She was a 26-time All-American at Tennessee and just wrapped up her eligibility this past season. She won the NCAA Championship in the 100y fly and was named SEC Female Swimmer of the Year this past winter. Former Lady Vol Fabiola Molina ends 18th in 100m backstroke Sunday, August 10 BEIJING Former Lady Vol Fabiola Molina finished fifth in her 100m backstroke preliminary heat and 18th overall in the event on Sunday morning at the National Aquatics Center at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Molina, representing Brazil, swam a time of 1:01.00 in Heat 7 and was just .30 away from qualifying to the semifinals. Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe won Heat 7 and set a new Olympic Record at 59.00. Of the 49 entrants in the 100m back, Molina, 33, was the oldest competitor by at least five years. A five-time All-American at UT from 1995-98, Molina also competed at the 2000 Olympics in Athens, Greece. She finished 24th in the 100m backstroke and 36th in the 100m butterfly at her first Olympics. Earlier this summer, Molina set a South American Record in the 100m back when she won the Croatian Open Championship in 1:00.79. Magnuson sets American Record in 100 Fly at 57.08
VIDEO: Magnuson's American Record swim BEIJING - Christine Magnuson broke the American record in the 100m butterfly, while qualifying for the finals in the event on Saturday night at the National Aquatics Center at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. USA Women Blowout Czech Republic, 97-57, in Olympic Opener Saturday, August 9 Box Score (PDF)| Quotes| Photos
The Tennessee trio of Candace Parker (9), Tamika Catchings (6) and Kara Lawson (3) combined for 18 points to help lead the U.S. to the 97-57 victory in the opener Saturday night. The Americans got off to a slow star, trailing 13-2 giving up layup after layup to the feisty Czech team. Diana Taurasi finally got the team rolling much to the pleasure of Bush, who was dressed in a blue shirt and USA cap. Taurasi's layup ignited a 20-4 run by the U.S. to close the first quarter. The U.S. continued the run in the second quarter behind Cappie Pondexter, who scored seven of her 12 points in the period. Her 3-pointer at the buzzer gave the Americans a 49-31 lead at halftime. The Americans continued the onslaught in the third quarter using a 22-5 to put the game out of reach. The U.S. led 75-44 at the end of the third, sending the President, his wife Laura, and daughter Barbara home. The President gave a wave to the delighted crowd as he left at the end of the third quarter. Up next for the women is host China, which beat Spain 67-64 in its first game. Click HERE to read the rest of the game report. Christine Magnuson advances to semifinals Saturday, August 9
Magnuson swam a time of 57.70 to win Heat 5 by .30 over second-place finisher Gabriella Silva of Brazil. Fellow American, Elaine Breeden was third in the heat with a time of 58.06. Magnuson was second through 50 meters with a split of 26.83 and overtook South Africa's Lize-Mari Retief, who faded to fourth after leading at the halfway mark. Magnuson's performance was tied for the second-best of the prelims and just off her career-best of 57.50 set in the semifinals of the Olympic Trials in June. Australia's Jessica Schipper won Heat 6 in 57.58 just ahead of China's Yafei Zhou, who tied Magnuson's time of 57.70. Libby Trickett of Australia was second in Heat 2 in 58.37. She has the top time in the world at 56.81. Schipper ranks second, while Magnuson is third. Trickett and Schipper are widely considered the favorites to win the event. Magnuson captured the 100m fly title at the Olympic Trials by swimming 58.11 in the finals. She was a 26-time All-American at Tennessee and just wrapped up her eligibility this past season. The Tinley Park, Ill., native won the NCAA Championship in the 100y fly and was named SEC Female Swimmer of the Year this past winter. Semifinals of the 100m fly are tonight, while the finals are scheduled for Sunday night. Olympic Games Open Friday for Eight Former Lady Vols Thursday, August 7 Talking Women's Hoops, Olympics and Other Interesting Items The 2008 U.S. Olympic Team arrived in Beijing after seven days of training and hit the ground running on Thursday. The morning was filled with the U.S. Olympic Committee's Ambassador Program and that was followed by an hour-long press conference in the early afternoon and a two-hour practice at Wukesong Arena, home to the 2008 Olympic basketball competition, Thursday night. During the press event the team discussed a variety of topics, including the USA's first opponent, the contributions that will be made by the rookies, veteran leadership, Beijing in general and Lopez Lomong being named the U.S. Olympic Committee flag bearer for tomorrow night's Opening Ceremonies. But don't take our word for it ... read on! USA head coach Anne Donovan On participating on her fifth Olympic team as a player or coach: Has Australia narrowed the gap with the USA in terms of skill level? What do the Olympic rookies offer to the team? What do you expect from your first opponent, Czech Republic? What do you think about playing China? Tamika Catchings Do you feel you are at 100 percent? On playing with two other Tennessee alumns in Candace Parker and Kara Lawson: Where is your 2004 gold medal? Kara Lawson Is this the final notch on your resume? What has it been like participating in your first Olympics? We're starting the get the big picture of the Olympics, but also the big picture of being a part of Team USA, which I can't say you grasp too much when you are just training by yourselves as the women's basketball team. Then you get here, and you start seeing other countries, and you start walking around with your USA stuff on, and it starts to mean a little bit more. .. Candace Parker On the pressure of the Olympics: When did the realization that you were at the Olympics hit you? Are you feeling like there is paparazzi everywhere? Thursday, August 7 Lady Vol Track Diaries from Beijing Wednesday, August 6 Lady Vol Swimming Diaries from Beijing |
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