PARIS – Here are 28 Indiana athletes to watch for 2028, when the Olympic Games will be in Los Angeles for a third time. The U.S. roster might even include an Indianapolis Colts quarterback.
Basketball
Caitlin Clark, 22, Fever. When Team USA was selected, it was arguable whether Clark belonged. By the time the Olympics began, and she was WNBA assists leader, it was obvious she did.
Tyrese Haliburton, 24, Pacers. His 26 minutes played in Paris were the fewest on the U.S. team, but he’s a gold medalist. NBA’s assists leader will occupy a bigger role in L.A.
Jackie Young, 26, Princeton/Notre Dame. Las Vegas Aces guard is a two-time gold medalist, including 3×3 in 2021. She is a former IndyStar Miss Basketball.
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Cycling
Chloe Dygert, 27, Brownsburg. If healthy, she will almost certainly add to her total of four medals. She wants to ride in seven Olympics.
Diving
Josh Hedberg, 17, Noblesville. He was third on 10-meter platform at Olympic Trials, and he was 19th at World Championships in February.
Carson Tyler, 20, Indiana University. He was fourth on 3-meter at Paris and was first American diver since 2000 to make Olympic team in both individual events.
Daryn Wright, 20, Plainfield/Purdue. She was a late addition to Olympic roster and finished 19th on 10-meter, barely missing semifinals.
Flag football
Anthony Richardson, 22, Colts. This is not a joke. NFL players might end up playing in L.A., where flag football makes its Olympics debut.
Soccer
Quincy McMahon, 21, Carmel. UCLA defender has played for national teams, including the under-23s. Gatorade twice chose her as Indiana player of the year while she was at Guerin Catholic.
Swimming
Brian Benzing, 22, Indiana University. Transferring from Towson to Breaststroke U. should accelerate development of Benzing, a former four-sport athlete. He was NCAA runner-up in 100-yard breaststroke and 12th at Olympic Trials in 100-meter breaststroke.
Chris Guiliano, 21, Notre Dame. He won two Olympic relay medals. He might be eager to get back because he was no higher than eighth in three individual events: 50, 100, 200 freestyles.
Matt King, 22, Indiana University. He won gold by swimming heats of the 4×100 freestyle relay. He is transferring to IU after college seasons at Alabama and Virginia. He was sixth in 100 freestyle at U.S. trials. King won six relay medals at two World Championships.
Will Modglin, 20, Zionsville. He had a breakout Olympic Trials, finishing sixth in 100 backstroke and eighth in 200 individual medley. At Texas, he will train under Bob Bowman, who coached Michael Phelps and Leon Marchand.
Aaron Shackell, 19, Carmel. He was a Paris finalist in 400 freestyle, and now he heads to Texas, where he will be Modglin’s teammate.
Alex Shackell, 17, Carmel. After two relay medals — first by a Carmel girl — she can keep climbing world rankings in the 100 and 200 butterfly. She was sixth in the latter at Paris.
Luke Whitlock, 18, Noblesville. After finishing 15th in heats of 800 freestyle in Paris, he said he had been sick. He is joining University of Florida training group featuring Bobby Finke and Katie Ledecky, the world record-holders and Olympic champions in 1,500 freestyle.
Track and field
Cole Hocker, 23, Indianapolis. Running does not end for a young Olympic champion. Hocker might have two more Olympics in him, and in L.A. he could join Sebastian Coe as a back-to-back gold medalist at 1,500 meters.
Charity Hufnagel, 23, Rushville. Kentucky high jumper won with 6-4.25 leap at Olympic Trials but lacked requisite standard. She was a 2023 NCAA champion for Ball State.
Lynna Irby-Jackson, 25, Indianapolis. Although she missed Paris after two relay medals in Tokyo, the former Pike sprinter is not finished. Her coach is Tonja Buford-Bailey, who also coaches triple gold medalist Gabby Thomas.
Cody Johnston, 20, Hobart. Illinois pole vaulter was fifth in NCAA as a freshman, improving 16 inches in one year to 18-4.5.
Olivia Markezich, 24, Notre Dame. Last year’s NCAA steeplechase champion was running toward a place on Olympic team until a late stumble and fall at the trials. She finished sixth and subsequently lowered her time to 9:14.67 in a July 7 race at Paris.
Yared Nuguse, 25, Notre Dame. He wants to become a dentist eventually. After medals at Olympics and World Indoor Championships, his running career is taking off.
Jadin O’Brien, 22, Notre Dame. NCAA indoor pentathlon champion and outdoor heptathlon runner-up. She was seventh at U.S trials.
Erin Reese, 28, Indiana State. She was 14th in hammer qualifying in Paris, and she said she continues to learn the event. She made U.S. team on her last attempt at trials.
Rachel Tanczos, 24, Notre Dame. She was fourth at U.S. trials in hammer. Her distance of 245-6 ranks eighth in the world.
Addy Wiley, 20, Huntington. National high school record-holder was second-youngest finalist in 1,500 at U.S. trials.
Volleyball
Eva Hudson, 20, Fort Wayne/Purdue. Entering junior season, she is a second-team All-American. She led Big Ten in kills last year, leading the Boilermakers to a 23-9 season and Sweet 16 berth.
Wrestling
Mason Parris, 24, Lawrenceburg. Heavyweight made a quick exit in Paris but has shown he is legit. The former all-state linebacker, an NCAA champion for Michigan, was bronze medalist at 2023 World Championships.
Contact IndyStar correspondent at dwoods1411@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Caitlin Clark, Cole Hocker likely to lead Indiana contingent in 2028
