Michigan Alumna Olsen Earns Olympic Bronze Medal with USA Rugby
7/30/2024 5:08:00 PM | Olympics
• Paris Olympics Site | U-M Olympics Coverage
PARIS, France -- University of Michigan alumna Alena Olsen became the first rugby player in school history to claim an Olympic medal, earning bronze Tuesday (July 30) as the United States used a last-second score to defeat Australia 14-12 in the bronze-medal game at the Stade de France. It was the first-ever women's rugby Olympic medal for USA Rugby.
Trailing 12-7 and with less than a minute remaining, Team USA's Alex Sedrick found an opening and sprinted down the field for a game-tying try then then scored her own conversion to produce the game-winning points with time expired.
Australia had broken a 7-7 tie with the go-ahead try in the final 90 seconds of the second half -- but missed the ensuing conversion -- after a USA scrum penalty turned the ball over. Both teams scored a try and a conversion in the first half, with Australia striking first in the opening 90 seconds and USA evening the score with an Alev Kelter try and conversion in the final 61 seconds of the half.
The United States posted a 4-2 record over the three-day competition. Earlier in the day Tuesday, Team USA fell to New Zealand 24-12 in the semifinals. The U.S. struck first in that match and hung within two points through halftime before New Zealand surged with three straight tries in the second half. The red, white and blue added a late try, with Olsen posting the conversion -- her second of the tournament. New Zealand went on to claim its second straight Olympic gold medal.
Team USA entered the bronze-medal match guaranteed its best Olympic finish after previously placing sixth in Tokyo and fifth in Rio. It is also the first medal in rugby (15s or sevens) for the U.S. since 1924 when the men won gold -- also in Paris. With the win, USA women's rugby head coach Emilie Bydwell became the first female rugby head coach to lead a team to a medal of any kind.
Olsen started the bronze-medal match and three of six games as a back for Team USA and went 2-for-2 on conversion attempts to finish with four points. She also helped the United States hold its opposition to 14.3 points per game and an average of 2.3 tries per game.
Olsen, who first started playing rugby as a freshman at Michigan, was a two-time All-American (2015, '16) with the Michigan women's club team and earned nomination to the Collegiate Rugby Championship Dream Team in 2016 and 2017. She made her USA Rugby debut in 2019 and was part of the U.S. sevens roster that finished fourth at the 2022 Rugby World Cup. She also plays with the Kansas City Headliners of Premier Rugby Sevens since the inaugural tournament in 2021.
• Stats and Video: USA vs. Australia | USA vs. New Zealand (NBC Olympics)
