27 Illinoisans will represent Team USA at Olympics, including 2 with metro-east ties

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games will kick off soon, and Illinois will send more than two dozen athletes to represent Team USA.

Only three U.S. states will send more Olympic athletes to the 2024 Paris Games than Illinois. California will send 120 athletes, Florida has 42 and Texas has 41. Illinois and Pennsylvania will each send 27 Olympians to the Games, according to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

The Games will take place July 26 to Aug. 11, though some events will happen before the official opening ceremony July 26. Athletes will compete in 32 sports and 329 medal events. Illinois athletes will compete in soccer, wrestling, volleyball, rowing, rhythmic gymnastics and more.

Here’s what to know about Illinois’ Olympic athletes this year, including an alum from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and an East Alton resident.

Illinoisans representing US in Olympics

Here are the 27 Olympic athletes and two Paralympic athletes from Illinois who will represent the U.S. at this summer’s Games.

• Korbin Albert , from Grayslake, will compete in soccer.

• Kamal Bay , from Bellwood, will compete in wrestling.

• Kennedy Blades , from Chicago, will compete in wrestling.

• Lauren Carlini , from Aurora, will compete in volleyball.

• Peter Chatain , from Winnetka, will compete in rowing.

• Owen Cravens , from Algonquin, will compete in Paratriathlon.

• Anthony Davis , from Chicago, will compete in basketball.

• Lauren Doyle , from Boody, will compete in rugby. Doyle is an Eastern Illinois University alum.

• Tori Franklin , from Chicago, will compete in track and field.

• Kendall Gretsch , from Downers Grove, will compete in Paratriathlon.

• Evita Griskenas , from Orland Park, will compete in rhythmic gymnastics.

• Ryan Held , from Springfield, will compete in swimming.

• Thomas Jaeschke , from Wheaton, will compete in volleyball.

• John Jayne , from Chicago, will compete in judo.

• Jeff Jendryk , from Wheaton, will compete in volleyball.

• Grace Joyce , from Northfield, will compete in rowing.

• Paul Juda , from Deerfield, will compete in gymnastics.

• Casey Krueger , from Naperville, will compete in soccer.

• Courtney Lindsey , from Rock Island , will compete in track and field.

• Jewell Loyd , from Lincolnwood, will compete in basketball.

• Anna Peplowski , from Germantown Hills, will compete in swimming.

• Josef Rau , from Chicago, will compete in wrestling.

• Erin Reese , from Mt. Prospect, will compete in track and field.

• Dana Rettke , from Riverside, will compete in volleyball.

• Kelsey Robinson-Cook , from Bartlett, will compete in volleyball.

• Maggie Shea , from Wilmette, will compete in sailing.

• Gabriel Slonina , from Addison, will compete in soccer.

• Jayden Ulrich , from East Alton, will compete in track and field.

• Zach Ziemek , from Itasca, will compete in track and field.

Deanna Price, an SIU Carbondale alum, will compete in track and field this year in her third Olympics .

“We’re proud to have members of the Saluki family competing in the Summer Olympics and Paralympics, and we wish them the best at the Games,” SIU Carbondale Chancellor Austin Lane said in an emailed statement to the News-Democrat.

More than 50 Olympic athletes throughout the years have previously attended SIU Carbondale, according to the university’s website.

Discus thrower Jayden Ulrich graduated from East Alton-Wood River Community High School.

“I love being able to represent that area of Illinois and being a part of the metro-east area,” Ulrich told KSDK in an interview that aired July 17 . “Tons of good athletes come out of there and I’m glad to be one of them now.”

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