The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Hall of Honor
- Induction:
- 2020
- Class:
- 1992
A two-time U.S. Olympic team member and an NCAA individual champion and nine-time All-American during her three seasons at Texas, Erika Hansen-Stebbins helped the Longhorns claim back-to-back NCAA team championships in 1990 and 1991. She spent her freshman year in 1988-89 at the University of Georgia and became the first NCAA individual event champion in Georgia program history with her victory in the 1,650-yard freestyle (16:00.04). Following her move to Austin, Hansen-Stebbins and the Longhorns won the NCAA and the Southwest Conference team titles during her sophomore season in 1989-90. As a junior in 1990-91, she finished second in the 200-yard butterfly, fourth in the 400-yard individual medley and fifth in the 1,650-yard freestyle at the NCAA Championship meet to lead Texas to the NCAA team title. The Longhorns set a NCAA Championship meet record for most points scored (746) that still stands today. Earlier that year, Hansen-Stebbins won the 200-yard butterfly at the SWC Championship to help UT win the SWC team title, and she was named the SWC's Most Valuable Swimmer. In her senior season in 1991-92, she won the NCAA individual title in the 500-yard freestyle and placed second in both the 400-yard individual medley and the 200-yard butterfly to guide Texas to a runner-up team finish at the NCAA Championship. Her winning time in the 500-yard freestyle (4:37.73) set a school record that stood for 24 years. Hansen-Stebbins was named the team's Most Improved Swimmer as a senior and helped UT win another SWC team title. In addition to her school record in the 500-yard freestyle, she also set team records in the 400-yard individual medley (4:10.10) and 400-meter individual medley (4:40.80) during her time in Austin. Hansen-Stebbins had a successful national and international swimming career, highlighted by competing for Team USA at the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Olympics. She placed 11th in the 400-meter individual medley (4:51.03) during the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Hansen-Stebbins then finished fourth in the 400-meter freestyle (4:11.50), seventh in the 800-meter freestyle (8:39.25) and 10th in the 400-meter individual medley (4:48.37) at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. A gold medalist in the 400-meter individual medley at the 1985 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Tokyo, she also was a five-time U.S. national champion, winning individual titles in 1984 (200 fly and 400 IM), 1985 (400 IM), 1990 (400 IM) and 1991 (200 fly). Hansen-Stebbins set U.S. age-group records for 13-14-year-olds in 1984 in the 200-meter individual medley (2:17.09) and 400-meter individual medley (4:45.58). A Barbara Jordan Scholarship Award recipient in 1992, Hansen-Stebbins earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from Texas in 1993 and went on to receive her master's degree in sport management from the University of Florida in 1995. She worked as a graduate assistant at Florida (1994-96) and as an assistant coach at USC (1997-2003), Maryland (2004-05) and UCLA (2005-08). Hansen-Stebbins has coached the Bruin Masters Swim Club on UCLA's campus since 2010 and was named the 2017 Coach of the Year by Southern Pacific Masters Swimming. She is married to Tim Stebbins, the head diving coach at UCLA, and the couple has two children, daughter Reilly and son Owen.
