Aug. 28, 2008

AUSTIN, Texas -- University of Texas head women's basketball coach Gail Goestenkors joined some elite company by virtue of her role in assisting Team USA's run to the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Goestenkors became just the fifth women's coach to lead two different Olympic teams to gold medals and the ninth overall coach to accomplish the feat.

Eight of the nine coaches served as coaches while representing the United States. Goestenkors, who enters her second season with the Longhorns in 2008-09, is joined in this elite group of women's coaches by Americans Nancy Darsch, Anne Donovan and Kay Yow along with Lidia Alexeyeva of the Soviet Union. The four men's coaches who have accomplished the milestone include Henry Iba, Mike Krzyzewski, Hank Vaughn and Lenny Wilkens.

Goestenkors served as an assistant coach under Donovan at the Beijing Olympics and helped Team USA post a perfect 8-0 mark en route to the gold medal. The Americans recorded an average margin of victory of 37.6 points per game during its run, including a 92-65 win against previously unbeaten Australia in the gold medal game.

Goestenkors also served as an assistant coach at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where the U.S. team registered an 8-0 record. The 2004 American squad boasted an average margin of victory of 23.8 points per contest during the tournament, including a 74-63 win against Australia in the gold medal game.

Coaches who have led teams to two gold medals in Olympic Basketball history