College Sports Never End, Not Even During Summer Break

The 2011 Summer Universiade Logo

The school year isn't the end for college sports. Every two years a international event is held by the FISU (International University Sports Federation). The event is called Universiade. There is a Winter and a Summer Universiade. The Winter Universiade was held earlier this year in Erzurum, Turkey from January 27-February 6. 


The Summer Universiade started Thursday the 11th in Shenzhen, China. It is ending later today with the Closing Ceremony. The 26th ever Universiade had 24 sports, including Athletics, Basketball, Football (Soccer), Golf, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball, and many more.




With only 5 medals left to be handed out later today in China, China not only has the most gold medals with 75, but also has the most medals overall with 145. Russia, who has 131 total medals, second most total medals. Russia also has the most silver medals with 44 and 45 bronze medals. 3rd overall with 87 total medals is Japan, Korea is in 4th with 77, and the in 5th with 49 medals is the US.

Going for the rebound, From left to right USA's Darius Miller
(#12),  Finland's Matti Nuutinen (#11), USA's Orlando Johnson
(#9), and USA's Trevor Mbakwe (#15)

Basketball for the US is usually a guarantee for a medal. The Men's Basketball team didn't deliver on the expected medal. The US team, featuring Scoop Jardine (Syracuse), Aston Gibbs (Pitt), and JaMychal Green (Alabama), didn't even compete in a medal game. They defeated Germany 86-83 to take 5th Place. The Women's team, however, showed what US basketball is all about. They won 112-53 vs Brazil, 114-68 vs Slovakia, 85-33 vs Great Britain, 96-30 vs Finland, 79-67 vs Australia, and 101-66 vs Chinese Taipei in the Gold Medal Game. The US team was led by the Ogwumike sisters, Nneka and Chiney (Both go to Stanford), and Sklar Diggins (Notre Dame).


The US earned 11 of their 15 medals in the pool. 8 of the 11 medals won in swimming events were individuals. The 8 events and winners are Jimmy Feigen (men's 100 meter freestyle), Matt McLean (men's 200 meter freestlye), Michael Klueh (men's 800 meter freestyle), Tim Phillps (men's 50 and 100 meter butterfly), Haley Anderson (women's 1500 meter freestyle), Jennifer Connolly (women's 50 meter backstroke), Annie Chandler (50 meter breaststroke), and Madeline Dirado (400 meter IM). The 3 other swimming gold medals came through relay victories. The Men won the 4x100 (4 swimmers each swim 100 meters) freestyle relay and the the 4x200 (4 swimmers each swim 200 meters) freestyle relay. The Women won the 4x200 freestyle relay.


Next week, the college football season begins. The end of one college sports season ends within two weeks of when the new season starts. That proves that the college sports season never really ends.