University of Houston Athletics
Cougars to Represent USA at World University Games
11/8/2016 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
BREAKING: In Summer 2017 @UHCougarTF becomes @usateam_ #GoCoogs #USATeam
RELEASE: https://t.co/sp7O9LVeTT pic.twitter.com/wsCDRZP5dY- Houston TF/XC (@UHCougarTF) November 8, 2016
HOUSTON -- Houston Men's and Women's Track & Field Head Coach Leroy Burrell is excited to announce the Cougars have been chosen to compete as the USA Team at the 2017 Summer World University Games, to be held on August 19-30, 2017 in Taipei City, Taiwan.
The Cougars were selected to represent the USA at the 29th Universiade by the United States International University Sports Federation to compete at the World University Games. The games have been held semiannually since 1959.
"Being named as the USA representative for the World University Games is a tremendous honor for our program," Burrell said. "This is an opportunity for the University of Houston to prove that we can compete not only on the collegiate stage, but on an international platform as well."
In its storied history, the Houston Cougar Track & Field program has produced 377 All-Americans, 47 individual NCAA Champions and 24 Olympians who have produced 15 Olympic Gold Medals. The men's team most recently swept the American Athletic Conference indoor and outdoor championships in 2015-16 giving the program a combined 46 conference championships.
The World University Games, known around the world as Universiade, is an international multi-sport event organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation. The Universiade is an international sporting and cultural festival staged every two years in a different city around the world, representing both winter and summer competitions. It is second only in importance to the Olympic Games.
The opening ceremony for the 29th Universiade will be held Aug. 19, 2017, at Taipei Stadium, where the Cougars will compete in their track & field events. The United States will also have teams represented in archery, badminton, baseball, basketball, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, judo, men's soccer, swimming, water polo, diving, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, weightlifting and wushu.
For more information on the World University Games, click HERE.
The Cougars begin their season, Saturday Dec. 10 at the Texas A&M Reveille Invitational, before hosting the Leonard Hilton Invitational one month later on Jan. 13. Outdoor season begins with the Cougar Spring Break Invitational on March 16 and runs through the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June, before the Coogs make the trek to Taipei.
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