Rene Capo
United States Judo
The former Gophers noseguard who lettered in 1980 is competing in the Olympics in the 209-pound weight class. Capo was a member of the U.S. Olympic judo team in 1988 and trains with Jim Mastro, who is blind and a U.S. Paralympian in judo, shot put and discus.
Coralea Cline
British Virgin Islands High Jump
Cline was a Gophers women’s track athlete in the early- to mid-1990s. She is second on Minnesota’s all-time high jump list indoors and third outdoors, in each case with a jump of 5 feet, 8 inches. Cline placed second in the high jump at the Pan American Games in 1989.
Keita Cline
British Virgin Islands Long Jump, 4×100-meter and 4×400-meter relays
Cline was a two-time All-American and five-time Big Ten champion with the Gophers men’s track team in the long jump and triple jump. He competed in the early 1990s and is currently an assistant coach with Minnesota. He holds school records in the indoor and outdoor long jump and triple jump and is married to fellow British Virgin Islands track Olympian Coralea Cline. Both athletes hold British Virgin Islands citizenship through Keita’s father.
Can Ergenekan
Turkey Swimming, 200-meter butterfly and 400 freestyle
Ergenekan was a three-time All-American with the Gophers men’s swimming team in the early 1990’s. He is also third on the Gophers all-time list for the 200-meter butterfly.
Bob Kempainen
United States Marathon
The University Medical School graduate made headlines when he vomited while running the final few miles at the U.S. Olympic marathon trials on Feb. 17. Despite having tendinitis in both legs, strained quadriceps and a tender right hamstring, Kempainen expects to finish in the top 10 in Atlanta. He placed 17th at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain.
Alexandre Massura
Brazil Swimming, 400-meter freestyle relay
The native of Belo, Horizonte, Brazil is a prized recruit who will be a freshman on the Gophers men’s swimming team this year. He will compete in freestyle and backstroke events for Minnesota.
Gordy Morgan
United States Greco-Roman wrestling, 163 pounds
As a Gophers wrestler in 1989, Morgan won the Big Ten championship at 158 pounds and was named All-American after placing eighth at the NCAA Championships. Morgan’s brother Marty, an assistant coach at Minnesota, was beaten at the Olympic trials by Dan Henderson.
Brandon Paulson
United States Greco-Roman wrestling, 114.5 pounds
Paulson is currently a member of the Gophers wrestling team who took time off to train for the Olympics. He will be back to retain his spot as the No. 1 wrestler at 118 pounds for Minnesota this season. While at Anoka High School, he was a two-time U.S. Olympic Festival champion.
John Roethlisberger
United States Gymnastics, all around
Roethlisberger was a three-time NCAA all-around champion while with the Gophers men’s gymnastics team in the early 1990s. He took first place at the 1996 U.S. Olympic gymnastics trials and was a member of the team in 1992. He is currently an assistant coach with Minnesota.
Olga Splichalova
Czech Republic Swimming, 400- and 800-meter freestyle
Splichalova earned All-American honors with the Gophers women’s swimming team as a freshman and sophomore in the 1,650-yard freestyle. As a freshman, she was named co-most valuable and co-hardest worker on Minnesota’s squad.
Bengt Zikarsky
Germany Swimming, 50-meter freestyle and 400 relay
Zikarsky lettered for the Gophers mens swimming team in 1989 when he earned All-America honors. He is fifth on the Gophers all-time list in the 50-meter freestyle.
Dave Zuniga
United States Greco-Roman wrestling, 136.5 pounds
While with the Gophers in 1990, Zuniga earned the Big Ten championship at 134 pounds and was named All-American after taking second at the NCAA Championships. In 1995, Zuniga won a bronze medal in Greco-Roman wrestling, which restricts holds below the waist.
