2000s-2020s
Enrique Abaroa, 2000
In November of 1994, Mexico native Enrique Abaroa signed a letter of intent to play with the University of Kansas. Twenty-year-old Abaroa had been ranked the No.1 junior doubles player in the world in 1992 by the International Tennis Federation, won the 1992 junior doubles French Open championship, and had spent two years on the professional circuit. However, the amount he made playing professionally was so miniscule that they NCAA granted him four years of eligibility after sitting out for the first two matches of his freshman season.
Abaroa’s skill on the court helped KU’s tennis program climb in recognition and rankings – during his sophomore year the Jayhawks achieved a top ten ranking (ranking 10th) for the first time in history. Two years after leaving KU Abaroa and his doubles partner, Alejandro Hernandez, competed for Mexico in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and were the only Mexican tennis players to compete. They lost in the first round, ranking 17th in the event.
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Nickeisha Anderson, 2008
KU standout sprinter Nickesha Anderson competed for her home country of Jamaica in the 4X100 meters relays at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, but the team did not make it pass the heats. During her senior year at KU, Anderson set a school record of 11.23 seconds in the 100 meters.
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Scott Russell, 2008
Scott Russell, from Windsor, Ontario, Canada, graduated from KU in 2002. He capped his senior year by becoming the first person in NCAA history to win national titles in the outdoor javelin throw and the indoor weight throw. Russell placed 10th for Canada in the javelin throw at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.