Meet the 16 U.S. Olympic Athletes With Ties to Connecticut

Every U.S. athlete heading to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in the coming weeks has a story to tell, and the 16 Olympic team members with Connecticut ties are no different.

Among those who have qualified for the Olympics in Rio, which get underway on Aug. 5, are five former UConn women's basketball players, and a sixth hoopster who played six seasons with the Connecticut Sun of the WNBA.

Three athletes from New Canaan will be participating in the Games, as will representatives from all corners of Connecticut: Salisbury, Old Lyme, Seymour and Glastonbury.

Ages of the Nutmeg State competitors range from 18 to 35.

Here are the team members from Connecticut, with age, local connection and some facts about each:

BASKETBALL
Sue Bird, 35
(UConn 1998-2002)

• Won two national championships at UConn
• 9-time WNBA All-Star
• Competing in her fourth Olympic Games (Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012)

Tina Charles, 27
(UConn 2006-2010, Connecticut Sun 2010-2013)

• Won two national championships at UConn
• 4-time WNBA All-Star
• Competing in her second Olympic Games (London 2012)

Maya Moore, 27
(UConn 2007-2011)

• Won two national championships at UConn
• 4-time WNBA All-Star
• Competing in her second Olympic Games (London 2012)

Breanna Stewart, 21

(UConn 2012-2016)

• Won four national championships at UConn
• 3-time consensus National Player of the Year
• First overall pick in 2016 WNBA draft by Seattle Storm

Diana Taurasi, 34

(UConn 2000-2004)

• Won three national championships at UConn
• 9-time All-WNBA First Team
• Competing in her fourth Olympic Games (Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012)

Lindsay Whalen, 34

(Connecticut Sun 2004-2009)

• 5-time WNBA All-Star
• Member of three WNBA championship teams
• Competing in her second Olympic Games (London 2012)

CANOE/KAYAK
Devin McEwan, 31
(Salisbury)

• Placed 15th in C2 at 2014 World Championships
• Will compete in C2 Men event with Casey Eichfeld
• Member of the Housatonic Area Canoe and Kayak Squad

FIELD HOCKEY
Melissa Gonzalez, 27
(UConn, 2011)

• Competing in her second Olympic Games (London 2012)
• Member of gold medal team at 2015 Pan American Games
• Big East Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2010

ROWING
Andrew Campbell, 24
(New Canaan High School, 2010)

• Will compete in lightweight double sculls
• Placed eighth in 2015 World Championships
• Graduated from Harvard University in 2014

Charlie Cole, 30
(New Canaan High School, 2003)

• Won bronze medal in four-man event at 2012 Olympics in London
• Placed fourth in four-man event at 2011 World Championships
• 2007 graduate of Yale University

Austin Hack, 24
(Old Lyme High School, 2010)

• Won bronze medal in 2013 World Championships
• 2014 graduate of Stanford University
• Stands 6-foot-8

SAILING
Thomas Barrows III, 28
(Yale University, 2010)

• Competing in his second Olympic Games (Beijing 2008)
• 4-time All-American at Yale
• Recipient of the College Sailor of the Year Award (2009-10)

SOCCER
Alyssa Naeher, 28
(Seymour; Christian Heritage School-Trumbull, 2006)

• Won 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup in Chile
• Four-year starting goalkeeper at Penn State University
• Began pro career with Boston Breakers in 2010

TRACK & FIELD
Donn Cabral, 26
(Glastonbury High School, 2008)

• Placed eighth in 3000 meter steeplechase at 2012 Olympics in London
• 2012 NCAA steeplechase champion at Princeton University
• 2-time State Open and New England cross country champion at Glastonbury

Kate Grace, 27
(Yale University, 2011)

• 4-time track and field and cross country All-American at Yale
• Won 800 meters at U.S. Olympic Trials in 2016
• Won 2013 USA 1 Mile Road Championship Grand Blue Mile

WATER POLO
Thomas Dunstan, 18
(New Canaan)

• Won silver medal at 2016 FINA World League Super Final
• 2016 graduate of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Cal. after transferring from New Canaan
• Has committed to the University of Southern California

Photos courtesy of Team USA