By Trevor Eckhoff 

The Tokyo Olympics are in full-swing with the finest athletes from around the world performing on the most coveted level of international competition. For decades, distinguished San Joséans and San José State University (SJSU) Spartans have been chosen to join the ranks of not only Team USA, but many countries seeking the top talent in each sport.

This year, the City of San José is thrilled and honored to have 10 members of our community, spanning residents, Spartans, and Spartan alumni representing nine different sports as Olympians!

Please join us in congratulating and rooting for them as they take on the world in Tokyo! Get to know each athlete as they vie for Gold:

Nikhil Kumar, competing for Team USA Table Tennis at 18 years old:

Learn more about Nikhil’s journey to the Olympics:

• Nikhil Kumar (teamusa.org)
• Table Tennis KUMAR Nikhil - Tokyo 2020 Olympics
• Nikhil Kumar | Tokyo 2020 Olympic Profile (msn.com)

Greg Massialas, coach for Team USA Fencing. A two-time Olympian and four-time coach, Massialas has coached for SJSU and was named Team USA’s Olympic Coach of the Year for 2020. His two children, Alexander and Sabrina, are competing in Tokyo this year alongside their father’s coaching.

Read about the Massialas dynasty of fencing champions:

• Legendary SF Fencing Family Goes for Gold at Tokyo Olympics | KQED
• Greg Massialas Named Team USA’s Olympic Coach of the Year (usafencing.org)

Taylor Averill, competing for Team USA Men’s Volleyball. A member of the Men’s National Team since 2014, Averill has additionally played in France and Italy but remains a San Joséan!

Check out Averill’s accomplishments:

• Taylor Averill (teamusa.org)
• Taylor Averill - USA Volleyball

Keilani Ricketts, competing as a pitcher for Team USA Softball. Born and raised in San José, Ricketts holds multiple gold medals for her outstanding abilities on the field.

Learn about Ricketts’ storied career:

• Keilani Ricketts (teamusa.org)
• Keilani Ricketts – USSSA Pride
• Official Website of Keilani Ricketts

Colton Brown, competing for Team USA Men’s Judo. A Spartan through and through, Brown is part of SJSU’s long-respected Judo program and is at his second Olympic Games.

Read about Brown’s accelerating career and preparation for the Tokyo Olympics:

• Colton Brown (teamusa.org)
• Judo BROWN Colton - Tokyo 2020 Olympics
• SJSU Alumnus Colton Brown Going for Gold at Tokyo Olympics | SJSU Newsroom

Robyn Stevens, competing for Team USA Women’s Track and Field. Stevens honed her skills as a Track and Field competitor at SJSU, overcoming many obstacles and landing at the Olympics.

Take a moment to learn about her story and accomplishments:

• Robyn Stevens (teamusa.org)
• Athletics STEVENS Robyn - Tokyo 2020 Olympics
• San Jose State grad Robyn Stevens makes Tokyo Olympics in race walking (mercurynews.com)

Clara Espar Llaquet, competing for Spain Women’s Water Polo. The first player in SJSU history to score at least one goal in every single match in a season, Llaquet was named Most Valuable Player of the SJSU Spartans team in 2014.

See how Llaquet’s career in Spain has led her to two Olympic Games:

• Water Polo ESPAR LLAQUET Clara - Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Michelle Cox, competing for Australia Softball. An Australian native, Cox came to SJSU in 2012 and batted an impressive .340, winning Bronze at the 2012 Softball World Championship in Yukon.

Learn about Michelle’s career with SJSU and in Australia:

• Michelle Cox | NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS)

Emma Entzminger, competing for Canada Softball. A 2018 graduate of SJSU, Entzminger started in 191 of her 207 Spartan games and was SJSU’s third greatest all-timer in runs scored (142), fourth in walks (85) and OBP (.434). Entzminger helped Canada score two runs in a 3-2 game against Mexico, winning a Bronze medal at the Tokyo Games.

Check out Entzminger’s massive accomplishments for both the Spartans and Canada:

• Emma Entzminger - Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website
• Emma Entzminger - Softball - SJSU Athletics (sjsuspartans.com)
• Tokyo Games could be once in a lifetime for Team Canada's Emma Entzminger | The Toronto Observer

Suzy Brookshire Gonzales, competing for Mexico Softball. Gonzales joined SJSU in the midst of a shortened season due to COVID-19, but this didn’t stop her from attaining a team-best eight home runs and 22 RBIs which lead the Spartans to a 21-5 season and school-record 17-game winning streak.

Read about Gonzales’ all-star baseball career in California:

• Suzy Brookshire - Softball - SJSU Athletics (sjsuspartans.com)
• Suzy Brookshire's Olympic moment | SanBenito.com | Hollister, San Juan Bautista, CA

Because the Bay Area produces so many incredible athletes, please share any other members of the community at the Tokyo Olympics.