South Middlesex Times

Kahleah Copper and Casey Murphy earned gold medals with the United States women’s basketball and soccer teams, respectively, while Sebastian Rivera secured a bronze in freestyle wrestling for Team Puerto Rico. These achievements marked a successful weekend for Rutgers alumni at the conclusion of the Paris Olympics.

Copper played a crucial role in Team USA's 67-66 championship win over France on Sunday, scoring 12 points off the bench, including 10 in the fourth quarter. Her two free throws with five seconds remaining provided the decisive margin. “This was one of the stars of the game,” NBC Sports announcer Noah Eagle said during the medal ceremony. “Kahleah Copper earned every bit of this medal.”

Earlier that day, Rivera overcame a 4-0 deficit to win 10-9 against Mongolia’s Tulga Tumur-Ochir in the 65kg bronze medal match. This victory made him the first Rutgers wrestler to win an Olympic medal. NBC Sports analyst Jordan Burroughs commented, “He’s got the heart of a champion. Never stops fighting.”

Murphy contributed to Rutgers' medal count on Saturday when the U.S. team defeated Brazil 1-0 in the women’s soccer final. The goalkeeper from Bridgewater was joined by alumnus Denise Reddy, who served as assistant coach.

Despite not medaling, other Rutgers alumni also performed well. Rudy Winkler placed sixth in hammer throw with a distance of 77.92 meters, marking his best finish at the games after placing seventh in Tokyo in 2021. Arella Guirantes averaged a team-best 12.3 points per game for Puerto Rico during group stage contests.

These three medals add to Rutgers' long Olympic history dating back to 1908. Murphy became the third Rutgers alumna to earn gold on the pitch, joining Saskia Webber (Atlanta, 1996) and Carli Lloyd (2008, Beijing; 2012, London). Copper joined Cappie Pondexter (2008, Beijing) on the hardwood.

The Paris Olympics concluded with an elaborate closing ceremony on Sunday. The United States topped the final medal count with 126 medals, including 40 golds.

To read more about Rutgers’ 2024 Paris Olympians and past Olympic medalist alumni, visit Rutgers Foundation and ScarletKnights.com.