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Texas well-represented at upcoming XV Pan American Games

07/12/2007 -

AUSTIN, Texas -- When the 2007 version of the Pan American Games began July 13 in Brazil, the burnt orange and white of the Texas Longhorns will be well-represented.

More than 5,500 athletes from 42 countries in 33 sports and dependencies are scheduled to compete in more than 30 sports during the 15th Pan American Games which take place in Rio de Janeiro from July 13-29.

Occurring once every four years, the year prior to each Olympic Games, the Pan American Games is a multi-sport event for the Americas. It includes both Olympic and non Olympic sports. The Games are viewed as one of the last significant international events for the Americas before the 2008 Olympics next summer in Beijing.

A total of eight current or former UT student-athletes from eight different sports (baseball, softball, men's track and field, women's track and field, women's swimming, men's swimming, men's diving, women's rowing) will compete in Rio de Janeiro, host site of the 2007 Pan Am Games.

Participating for the United States at the Pan Am Games are the following Longhorns, past and present:

Ricky Berens (Charlotte, NC), a rising sophomore All-America swimmer, will compete in the 100-meter butterfly;

Jordan Danks (Round Rock, Texas), an All-Big 12 Conference outfielder who will enter his junior season at UT this fall, is playing for the USA Baseball National Team;

Troy Dumais (Austin, Texas), Olympian and seven-time NCAA diving champion while at Texas, competes in the diving events;

Cat Osterman (Houston, Texas), former three-time National Player of the Year and lefthanded pitching ace, currently stars for the Team USA softball squad;

Moushami Robinson (Columbus, Ohio), former NCAA champion and All-America sprinter, is among the 4x400 women's track relay participants;

Ruth Stiver (Madisonville, Texas), former Longhorn First Team All-America rower, will compete in the women's pair with partner Jennifer Reck; and

Elizabeth Tinnon (Bowling Green, Ky), an All-America swimmer who just completed her collegiate eligibility this spring, will compete in the 100-meter breaststroke.

Additionally, Samyr Laine (Newburgh, MY), a UT triple jumper who just completed his collegiate eligibility this spring, will represent Haiti in his specialty event.

University of Texas also will be represented in the coaching and staff ranks at the Pan Am Games.

Matt Scoggin, veteran men's and women's diving coach, will serve as an assistant diving coach for Team USA, while long-time men's assistant swim coach Kris Kubik is serving as an assistant coach, also for Team USA.

Dr. Mark Chassay, Head Team Physician for UT Athletics, is a US Olympic Committee sports medicine physician at the Games, responsible for USA Baseball and USA Karate in addition to clinic duties. This follows Chassay's service as Chief Medical Officer for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) at the Visa Paralympic World Cup which took place in Manchester, England in May of 2005.

UT athletic trainer LaGwyn Durden, ATC, also will attend the games and work with the USA Track and Field program.

The United States delegation consists of more than 600 athletes and about 300 support personnel.

For more Pan Am Games information and schedule information, go to the official Pan American Games Web site.

ESPN will provide extensive coverage of the XV Pan American Games, with ESPN Deportes televising 160 hours of the Games. For more information and the ESPN schedule, go to the United States Olympic Committe Web site or ESPN's Web site.