Bears leave Paris with two more golds and a school-record 4 Olympic medals

With the 2024 Summer Olympics complete, Baylor Bears are coming home from Paris with a school-record four medals (earned by four different Olympians) — continuing BU’s long history of Olympic excellence.

Former Baylor men’s tennis standout John Peers got things started for Baylor, winning gold for his native Australia in men’s doubles. Appearing in his third Olympics, Peers won his second medal (having won bronze in mixed doubles in Tokyo) by sweeping through this year’s Olympic rounds.

Also appearing in her third Olympics, Brittney Griner (BSED ’19) won her third Olympic gold with women’s basketball (extending the Team USA run to eight straight golds). Griner joins Michael Johnson (BBA ’91, four golds) and Jeremy Wariner (three) as the only Bears to win three or more Olympic gold medals.

Former Baylor volleyball all-American Avery Skinner fell just short of giving the Bears their third gold of the Paris Olympics, as the U.S. women’s volleyball team lost to Italy in the championship, finishing with the silver — the first Olympic volleyball medal in Baylor history.

On the Games’ final weekend, the only thing keeping Kristy Wallace (BSED ’18) and the Australian women’s basketball from the gold medal game was Griner’s Team USA; the Americans beat the Aussies in the semifinals, but Australia rebounded to win the bronze.

Baylor’s two gold medals were more than 166 of the 206 participating countries in this year’s Olympics, and their four total medals would have ranked in the top third of all countries for 2024. And that doesn’t even count the 10 medals (five gold, three silver, two bronze) coached by Baylor track and field head coach Michael Ford (BBA ’97) in his role as Team USA’s men’s sprints/hurdles coach.

All-time, Baylor athletes have now won 20 total medals (14 gold, four silver, and two bronze) dating back to 1904 — more than 85 other countries.

Sic ’em, Baylor Olympians!