---
title: "15 Terps Say ‘Bonjour’ to Summer Olympics, Paralympics"
date: 2024-07-24T05:30:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/14-terps-say-bonjour-to-summer-olympics-paralympics"
section: Articles
---
# 15 Terps Say ‘Bonjour’ to Summer Olympics, Paralympics

*July 24, 2024* — by [Annie Krakower](/author/annie-krakower), [Maryland Athletics Staff](/author/maryland-athletics-staff)


> Meet UMD Athletes, Coaches Representing Their Countries in Paris

*Olympics 1920x1080 — From left, trampoline gymnast Jessica Stevens, field hockey player Emma DeBerdine, discus thrower Chioma Onyekwere, wheelchair fencer Noah Hanssen and hammer thrower Rudy Winkler are among 15 Terps who will compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.*

As 10,500 Olympic athletes parade along the Seine during Friday’s opening ceremony in Paris—followed a month later by 4,400 Paralympians at the city’s Place de la Concorde—15 Terps will be among them.

Spanning nine sports and events and five countries, the current and former University of Maryland athletes and coaches will compete or provide guidance following years, even decades of training and preparation. And while they all dream of a place on the podium, they’re at the Games not just for themselves, their teams or their nations. They’re representing their communities—from their hometowns to UMD.

Unlike the delayed Summer Games in [Tokyo](https://today.umd.edu/terps-take-tokyo-ce933a09-3956-4e21-8f17-c9c54c7cba49), when COVID-19 barred spectators, they will vie for medals before crowds in packed stadiums, beyond the billions worldwide watching on TV and online.

Here’s how the Terps made their way from campus to the international stage, whether they’re back for redemption or making their Olympic debuts:

**FIELD HOCKEY Leah Crouse, Brooke DeBerdine ’21, Emma DeBerdine ’23, Kelee Lepage ’20, Jenny Rizzo | Team USA Nike Lorenz | Team Germany Grace Balsdon | Team Great Britain**   
With four players on the 16-player U.S. roster, UMD is represented more than any other school; Maryland assistant coach Rizzo serves as a reserve provisional athlete. All are competing in their first Olympics, as Team USA returns to the Games after missing the cut for Tokyo.


*Leah Crouse headshot*



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*Brooke DeBerdine headshot*



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*Emma DeBerdine headshot*



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*Kelee Lepage headshot*



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*Jenny Rizzo headshot*



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*Nike Lorenz headshot*



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*Grace Balsdon headshot*



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**WHEELCHAIR FENCING  
Noah Hanssen ’24, M.P.P. ’26 | Team USA**


*Noah Hanssen headshot*



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**TRIPLE JUMP  
Thea LaFond ’15 | Team Dominica**


*Thea LaFond headshot*



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**DISCUS  
Chioma Onyekwere ’16 | Team Nigeria**


*Chioma Onyekwere headshot*



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**SOCCER Russell Payne ’98 | Team USA**


*Russell Payne headshot*



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**TRACK AND FIELD  
Danielle Siebert ’06 | Team USA**


*Danielle Siebert headshot*



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**TRAMPOLINE  
Jessica Stevens ’24 | Team USA**


*Jessica Stevens headshot*



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**BASKETBALL  
Alyssa Thomas ’14 | Team USA**


*Alyssa Thomas headshot*



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**HAMMER THROW  
Rudy Winkler | Team USA**


*Rudy Winkler headshot*



**Sidebar note:**

Want to cheer on the Terp Olympians? Find their events on the full [Games schedule](https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/schedule/24-july).

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View Maryland Athletics’ list of all-time UMD Olympians at [umterps.com](https://umterps.com/sports/2024/7/17/all-time-university-of-maryland-olympians.aspx).





**Topics:** [Athletics](https://today.umd.edu/tags/athletics), [People](https://today.umd.edu/tags/people)


**Tags:** [Field Hockey](https://today.umd.edu/topic/field-hockey), [Gymnastics](https://today.umd.edu/topic/gymnastics), [Men's Soccer](https://today.umd.edu/topic/mens-soccer), [Track and Field](https://today.umd.edu/topic/track-and-field), [Women's Basketball](https://today.umd.edu/topic/womens-basketball)


**Units:** [Department of Intercollegiate Athletics](https://today.umd.edu/topic/department-intercollegiate-athletics), [University Recreation and Wellness](https://today.umd.edu/topic/university-recreation-and-wellness)