UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State added to its Olympic medal total over the past week, with bronze medals in men's and women's volleyball and a silver medal in the men's shot put.
A trio of Penn State men's volleyball alumni helped to lead the U.S. men's national team to a bronze medal as the United States defeated defending Olympic champion Russia 3-2 on on Aug. 21. The players — Matt Anderson, Max Holt and Aaron Russell — are the first Penn State men's volleyball players to win Olympic medals.
Two former Penn State women's volleyball All-Americans also won bronze during the Rio Olympics. Christa (Harmotto) Dietzen and Alisha Glass helped the U.S. defeat the Netherlands on Aug. 20.
Alumnus Joe Kovacs won a silver medal in the men's shot with a throw of 21.78m on Aug. 18. Kovacs' mark earned Kovacs seventh place in Olympic history.
Former Penn State All-American fencer Miles Chamley-Watson helped the U.S. men's foil team earn a bronze medal on Aug. 12, the first Olympic medal for the team since the 1932 squad also won a bronze. Chamley-Watson won all three of his bouts in the semifinals versus Russia by a combined score of 24-12. He competed in two bouts in the bronze medal match against Italy, helping the U.S. win 45-31.
Former Penn State All-American fencer Monica Aksamit also helped the U.S. women's saber team earn a bronze medal on Aug. 13. She is the first member of the women's fencing team to win an Olympic medal for the United States.
Penn State had a school record contingent of 25 people at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, including 17 competitors, three coaches and five alternates. The Nittany Lions have had a total of 109 student-athlete Olympians all-time.