Olympians — Yale
A theme in Yale’s Olympic history seems to be repetition. Twenty-one Elis have been to the Olympic games more than once. Bill Steinkraus epitomizes this more than any other Yale Olympian. The Westport, Conn. native competed in the 1952, 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, and 1972 Games on the United States Equestrian team. He was a part of the jumping team that won a bronze medal in 1952, silver medal in 1960, and silver medal in 1972. Steinkraus won an individual jumping gold medal in 1968, becoming the first American rider to win an individual gold medal.
If Steinkraus is noted for going to the most Olympics, Don Schollander ’68 has to be mentioned for winning the most medals. Schollander, a swimmer, won four gold medals at the 1964 Tokyo Games (100-meter, 400-meter freestyle, 4×100-meter freestyle relay, 4×200-meter freestyle relay) and three gold medals and silver at the 1968 Mexico City games (200-meter freestyle, 4×100-meter freestyle relay, 4×200-meter freestyle relay, and 4×100-meter medley relay). Schollander was the first swimmer in Olympic history to win four gold medals in the same Games. Over the course of his swimming career (he retired in 1968), Schollander broke many Olympic and world records, often doing so multiple times by breaking his own mark.
A predecessor of Schollander, Eddie Eagan ’21, also holds some Olympic notoriety. A lightweight boxer for the United States, Eagan won gold at the 1920 Antwerp Games. He would return to the Olympics in the 1924 Paris Games as a boxer. Eagan then made the switch to winter sports and won a gold medal as part of the U.S. four-man bobsled at the 1932 Lake Placid games.
Yet another prominent Olympian from Yale is Frank Shorter ’69. Shorter won the marathon for the United States at the 1972 Munich Games, after the disaster in which 11 Israeli athletes were killed by terrorists. He followed up with a second-place finish in the 1976 Montreal Games. After his Olympic career, Shorter has been in the public eye as an Olympic commentator. He also has served as chairman of the United States Anti-Doping Agency.
More recently, Yale athletes have seen success in women’s rowing. Anne Warner ’77 rowed for the United States in an 8-oared shell in the 1976 Games, along with International Olympic Committee member Anita DeFrantz, a graduate of Penn’s Law School. Both DeFrantz and Warner were to compete in the 1980 Moscow Games which the United States boycotted.
| Name, Grad Year | Sport | Country | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luis Aguilar ’57 | Sailing | Mexico | s: 1964 |
| Rex Aubrey ’56 | Swimming | Australia | s: 1952 |
| Mike Austin ’64 • | Swimming | United States | s: 1964 |
| Natalie Babony ’06 | Ice Hockey | Slovakia | w: 2010 |
| Thomas Barrows ’10 | Sailing | U.S. Virgin Islands | s: 2008 |
| Seth Bauer ’81 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1988 |
| William Becklean ’58 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1956 |
| Don Beer ’57 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1956 |
| James Beggs ’48 | Rowing | United States | s: 1952 |
| Stephen Benjamin ’78 • | Sailing | United States | s: 1984 |
| Eleni Benson ’04 | Soccer | Greece | s: 2004 |
| Johnny Bent ’30 • | Ice Hockey | United States | w: 1932 |
| John Biglow ’80 | Rowing | United States | s: 1984 |
| Dixon Boardman ’02 | Athletics | United States | s: 1900 |
| Lionel Bourcelot ’80 | Swimming | France | s: 1976 |
| Bob Brooke ’83 | Ice Hockey | United States | w: 1984 |
| John Brooks, Jr. ’49 | Rowing | United States | s: 1948 |
| Ashley Brzozowicz ’04 | Rowing | Canada | s: 2008-12 |
| Boyce Budd ’61 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1964 |
| Tom Campbell ’23 | Athletics | United States | s: 1920 |
| Leonard Carpenter ’24 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1924 |
| Sabin Carr ’28 • | Athletics | United States | s: 1928 |
| Charles Chadwick ’97 | Athletics | United States | s:1904 |
| Frank Chamberlain ’53 | Swimming | United States | s: 1952 |
| Tom Charlton, Jr. ’56 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1956 |
| Clarence Childs ’12 • | Athletics | United States | s: 1912 |
| Emory Clark ’60 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1964 |
| Steve Clark ’65 • • • | Swimming | United States | s: 1960-64 |
| Wesley Coe • | Athletics | United States | s: 1904-08 |
| Peter Coghlan ’98 | Athletics | Ireland | s: 2000 |
| Charlie Cole ’07 | Rowing | United States | s: 2012 |
| Gil Colgate, Jr. ’22 • | Bobsled | United States | w: 1936 |
| William Comins ’25 | Athletics | United States | s: 1924 |
| Frank Connor ’31 | Athletics | United States | s: 1928-32 |
| John Cooke ’58 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1956 |
| John Cookman ’31 • | Ice Hockey | United States | w: 1932 |
| Peter Cortes ’69 | Rowing | United States | s: 1976 |
| Emily DeRiel ’90 • | Modern Pentathlon | United States | s: 2000 |
| Peter Devine ’98 | Fencing | United States | s: 1996 |
| George Dole ’06 • | Wrestling | United States | s: 1908 |
| George Donohue | Ice Hockey | United States | w: 1948 |
| Walter Dray ’08 | Athletics | United States | s: 1904 |
| Eddie Eagan ’21 • • | Boxing | United States | s: 1920-24; w: 1932 |
| Chris Ernst ’76 | Rowing | United States | s: 1976-84 |
| Caldwell Esselstyn ’56 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1956 |
| Dernell Every ’28 • | Fencing | United States | s: 1928-32-40-48 |
| Stephen Fahy ’00 | Swimming | Bermuda | s: 2000 |
| Frank Farrell, III ’31 • | Ice Hockey | United States | w: 1932 |
| Jeff Farrell ’63 • • | Swimming | United States | s: 1960 |
| Erik Fish ’74 • | Swimming | Canada | s: 1972 |
| Andrew Fitch ’59 | Wrestling | United States | s: 1964 |
| Alan Ford ’45 • | Swimming | United States | s: 1948 |
| Vic Frank, Jr. ’50 | Athletics | United States | s: 1948 |
| Jim Fuchs ’50 • • | Athletics | United States | s: 1948-52 |
| Ben Funk ’25 | Boxing | United States | s: 1924 |
| Greg Gates ’50 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1948 |
| Tess Gerrand ’10 | Rowing | Australia | s: 2012 |
| A.C. Gilbert ’09 • | Athletics | United States | s: 1908 |
| Ginny Gilder ’79 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1980-84 |
| Murray Gilitz | Boxing | United States | s: 1924 |
| George Gleason ’01 | Swimming | U.S. Virgin Islands | s: 2000-04 |
| Walter Goodwin ’24 | Rowing | United States | s: 1924 |
| David Granger ’24 • | Bobsled | United States | w: 1928 |
| John Grieb ’07 • • | Gymnastics | United States | s: 1904 |
| Stu Griffing ’50 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1948 |
| Charles Grimes ’57 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1956 |
| Herman Groman ’04 • | Athletics | United States | s: 1904 |
| George Gross, Jr. ’74 | Water Polo | Canada | s: 1976-84 |
| Maura Haponski ’78 | Luge | United States | w: 1976 |
| Leonard Howe ’09 | Athletics | United States | s: 1908 |
| John Huffman ’26 | Fencing | United States | s: 1928-32-36-40 |
| Sarah Hughes ’07 • | Figure Skating | United States | w: 2002 |
| J.J. Isler ’85 • • | Sailing | United States | s: 1992-00 |
| Kenneth Ives ’24 | Rowing | United States | s: 1924 |
| Sada Jacobson ’05 • • • | Fencing | United States | s: 2004-08 |
| Brian Jamieson ’91 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1996 |
| Tim Jecko ’59 | Swimming | United States | s: 1956 |
| David C. Johnson ’69 | Swimming | United States | s: 1968 |
| David L. Johnson ’83 | Rowing | Canada | s: 1984-88 |
| Bob Kasting ’72 • | Swimming | Canada | s: 1972 |
| Steve Keisling ’80 | Rowing | United States | s: 1980 |
| F. John Kingsbury ’50 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1948 |
| Howard Kingsbury ’26 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1924 |
| Isabelle Kinsolving ’02 | Sailing | United States | s: 2004 |
| Dick Landon ’21 • | Athletics | United States | s: 1920 |
| Sarah Lihan ’10 | Sailing | United States | s: 2012 |
| Al Lindley ’25 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1924 |
| Philip Long ’68 | Swimming | United States | s: 1968 |
| Jay Luck ’62 | Athletics | United States | s: 1964 |
| David Lyons ’64 | Swimming | United States | s: 1964 |
| John Macionis ’38 • | Swimming | United States | s: 1936 |
| John B. Marshall ’53 • • | Swimming | Australia | s: 1948-52-56 |
| Arthur McAleenan, Jr. ’15 | Diving | United States | s: 1912 |
| Rich McDonald ’72 | Athletics | Canada | s: 1972 |
| Jamie McEwan ’75 • | Kayaking | United States | s: 1972-92 |
| Jonathan McKee ’83 • • | Sailing | United States | s: 1984-00 |
| Ward McLanahan ’05 | Athletics | United States | s: 1904 |
| Jimmy McLane ’53 • • • • | Swimming | United States | s: 1948-52 |
| Stu McNay ’05 | Sailing | United States | s: 2008-12 |
| Andrew Messer ’81 | Rowing | Canada | s: 1980 |
| Bill Mettler, Jr. ’64 | Swimming | United States | s: 1964 |
| J. Lester Miller ’25 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1924 |
| Larry Miller ’85 | Athletics | Antigua & Barbuda | s: 1984-88 |
| Wayne Moore ’53 • | Swimming | United States | s: 1952 |
| Al Morales ’58 | Fencing | United States | s: 1960-64-68-72 |
| Jack Morey, Jr. ’58 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1956 |
| John Morrison ’67 | Ice Hockey | United States | w: 1968 |
| Wendell Mottley ’64 • • | Athletics | Trinidad | s: 1964 |
| Fay Moulton ’03 • | Athletics | United States | s: 1904 |
| Frank A. Nelson, Jr. ’31 • | Ice Hockey | United States | w: 1932 |
| Frank T. Nelson • | Athletics | United States | s: 1912 |
| John Nelson ’70 • • • | Swimming | United States | s: 1964-68 |
| Peter Nordell ’88 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1988 |
| Bayes Norton ’26 | Athletics | United States | s: 1924 |
| Mary O’Connor ’79 | Rowing | United States | s: 1980 |
| Kate O’Neill ’03 | Athletics | United States | s: 2004 |
| Kwaku Ohene-Frempong ’70 | Athletics | Ghana | s: 1972 |
| Wesley Oler, Jr. ’16 | Athletics | United States | s: 1912 |
| John Oxley | Athletics | United States | s: 1904 |
| W. Hale Palmer, Jr. ’30 • | Ice Hockey | United States | w: 1932 |
| Fred Pearson ’45 | Ice Hockey | United States | w: 1948 |
| Bob Perew ’45 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1948 |
| A. Hawley Peterson ’26 | Rowing | United States | s: 1924 |
| John Potter ’32 | Fencing | United States | s: 1936 |
| Archie Quarrier ’26 | Rowing | United States | s: 1924 |
| Helen Resor ’08 • | Ice Hockey | United States | w: 2006 |
| Robert Ridland ’73 | Equestrian | United States | s: 1972-76 |
| Frank Righeimer, Jr. ’29 • • | Fencing | United States | s: 1932-36 |
| Taylor Ritzel ’10 | Rowing | United States | s: 2012 |
| James Rockefeller ’24 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1924 |
| David Ross, Jr. ’62 | Shooting | United States | s: 1976 |
| Michael Schoettle ’58 • | Sailing | United States | s: 1952 |
| Don Schollander ’68 • • • • • • | Swimming | United States | s: 1964-68 |
| Celita Schutz ’90 | Judo | United States | s: 1996-00-04 |
| Donald Sheff ’53 | Swimming | United States | s: 1952 |
| Fred Sheffield ’24 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1924 |
| Dick Sheldon ’98 • • | Athletics | United States | s: 1900 |
| Lewis Sheldon ’96 • • | Athletics | United States | s: 1900 |
| Frank Shorter ’69 • • | Athletics | United States | s: 1972-76 |
| Brad Simmons ’78 | Shooting | United States | s: 1976 |
| Denise Soesilo ’10 | Ice Hockey | Germany | w: 2006 |
| Roger Spitzer | Athletics | United States | s: 1908 |
| Benjamin Spock ’25 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1924 |
| Allen Stack ’49 • | Swimming | United States | s: 1948-52 |
| Bill Steinkraus ’48 • • • • | Equestrian | United States | s: 1952-56-60-64-68-72 |
| Ralph Stephan, Jr. ’51 | Rowing | United States | s: 1948 |
| Chick Stoddard ’25 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1924 |
| Matt Taylor ’92 | Kayaking | United States | s: 2000-04 |
| Alexis Thompson ’36 | Field Hockey | United States | s: 1936-48 |
| Hugh Thompson ’57 | Athletics | Canada | s: 1936 |
| Robert Townsend, Jr. ’64 | Swimming | United States | s: 1964 |
| Louise Van Voorhis ’90 | Sailing | United States | s: 1996 |
| John Wade, III ’49 | Rowing | United States | s: 1948 |
| Rusty Wailes ’58 • • | Rowing | United States | s: 1956-60 |
| Alfred Walker, Jr. ’24 | Fencing | United States | s: 1924 |
| Anne Warner ’77 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1976-80 |
| Karl Warner ’34 • | Athletics | United States | s: 1932 |
| Fred Weicker ’31 | Athletics | United States | s: 1928 |
| Josh West ’98 • | Rowing | Great Britain | s: 2004-08 |
| David Wight ’56 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1956 |
| Al Wilson ’25 • | Rowing | United States | s: 1924 |
• Gold Medal (also indicated by bold name)
• Silver Medal
• Bronze Medal
