Head women鈥檚 soccer coach Tiffany Roberts Sahaydak won an Olympic gold medal in women鈥檚 soccer in 1996. Head women鈥檚 track and field coach Jeanette Bolden was a member of the gold-medal winning 4×100-meter relay team in 1984. Assistant track and field/cross country coach Johnny Gray won a bronze medal in the 800 meters in 1992. Bolden was also the U.S. Olympic team鈥檚 head women鈥檚 track and field coach in 2008.

They聽are looking forward to watching the competition over the next few weeks. There鈥檚 a good chance that seeing the competition in Rio de Janeiro, the medal presentations and the opening and closing ceremonies will bring a flood of great memories back for each of these Olympic Knights.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an experience that is so hard to put into words,鈥� Bolden said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a feeling of ultimate accomplishment because you鈥檝e dreamed about it, you鈥檝e sacrificed for it. It finally came true. You鈥檙e in the opening ceremonies and you鈥檙e just in awe. That鈥檚 all you can do is say 鈥榃ow!鈥� and be in awe of walking with the USA [gear] on.鈥�

After winning her gold medal, Sahaydak and her teammates were sent back to the locker room to change into their medal presentation uniforms. She said returning into the stadium was surreal.

鈥淚 remember coming back out on to the field, I will never forget that moment,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ith all the fans in the stadium and all the cameras flickering, it looked like stars shining in the night. It鈥檚 something you dream of. It was pretty intense.鈥�

Gray had a rather pragmatic view on the experience.

鈥淵ou see all of these other countries and you鈥檙e actually representing the U.S. of A,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e go out and we have friendly competition with other parts of the country in a sport that is giving to the world. We鈥檙e sharing with the world that we don鈥檛 have to fight like we see on television. It鈥檚 about just trying to perform at the best of your abilities, and then afterwards, everybody shakes hands鈥t the end, we鈥檙e still human. We鈥檙e still one as a people, and we can still love and exist together. Love one another and exist together. That is the feeling that I got from the Olympics.鈥�

While Bolden, Gray and Sahaydak all competed in the Olympics more than 20 years ago, those experiences certainly help their respective 麻豆原创 programs in a number of ways.

鈥淭he culture that we have here at 麻豆原创, a lot of that has been developed through my experiences with the national team,鈥� Sahaydak said. 鈥淲e had unbelievable leadership, not just from the coaches but also from my teammates. That is where I learned my leadership skills. I rely on those experiences every day in order to be the best coach I can be.鈥�

Gray doesn鈥檛 bring up his Olympic experience, but focuses his recruiting pitch on what 麻豆原创 offers a prospective student-athlete. But that鈥檚 not to say it doesn鈥檛 come up in conversation. Gray has also coached Olympians, which can resonate with recruits.

鈥淭hese kids weren鈥檛 born when I was running,鈥� he said. 鈥淥nce they find out that I鈥檓 from the Olympics, it definitely helps. That鈥檚 definitely something good to have on your resume. I say 鈥楴ot only am I a coach, but I鈥檝e been where you are as an athlete. I know what you鈥檙e feeling; I know what you鈥檙e going through. I know what it takes to try to win.鈥欌��

Bolden said when she talks to a student-athlete who has the ability to be an Olympian, her experience competing and coaching in the Games makes an impact.

鈥淲hen I talk to them, I tell them 鈥業 didn鈥檛 read about the Olympics; I experienced it firsthand. That鈥檚 something that I can tell you that some of the other coaches can鈥檛 tell you,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淏eing a coach in the 2008 Olympics, I can tell them what goes on from the coaching side. So yes, I definitely use that.鈥�

鈥淭his is the best finish ever by 麻豆原创. This is the best they鈥檝e ever done and we鈥檝e very happy. We just go out and do our best, and that鈥檚 all I can ask for as a coach. Just give me your best and we鈥檙e happy and they鈥檝e all done that,鈥� said Knights’ head coach Johnny Gray.

Five Knights contributed points in 麻豆原创鈥檚 top-five finish as they set new personal records. Sophomore Heather Classe was the Knight鈥檚 second top finisher with her time of 21:42.45 for 21st place.

Amelia Williams (37th) and Senior Erica Winston (38th) emerged as 麻豆原创鈥檚 third and fourth finishers with times of 22:41.51 and 22:46.86, respectively, while sophomore Jocelyn Adona rounded out the Knights鈥� top-five with a time of 23:11.59 to place 45th overall.

鈥淓veryone set personal records from our fifth place finisher on up,” said Gray. “All of our top runners set personal records by huge margins. Anne-Marie finished 24th last year in the (C-USA) championship, and placed first this year. Heather (Classe) took 21st, which is a huge improvement, too. I would have love to have Amy, but she is injured. If we had her we probably would have finished in the top three.”

Next up, the Knights will prepare for the NCAA South Region Championships, which will take place on Nov. 15 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.