Atkins, Team USA earn Gold Medal at Tokyo Olympics

TOKYO, Japan — Former University of Texas star Ariel Atkins helped Team USA to a 90-75 win against Japan in the gold medal game at the 2020 Olympics on Sunday. Atkins is the third former Texas Women's Basketball player to earn a gold medal in Olympic competition, joining Kamie Ethridge and Andrea Lloyd who both claimed gold with Team USA at the 1988 Seoul Games.

Atkins scored two points (2-2 FT) and grabbed one rebound in three minutes of action during Sunday's victory against Japan. She played in five of the six contests in Tokyo.

The seventh overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft, Atkins is in her fourth season with the Washington Mystics. A key contributor in the team's run to the 2019 WNBA Championship, Atkins has earned WNBA All-Defensive Second Team honors in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and was chosen to the WNBA All-Rookie Team in 2018.

Atkins took part in the 2019-20 USA Basketball National Team expanded training program and helped Team USA post a 17-1 record. She currently is averaging a career best in numerous categories for the Mystics this season, including points per game (19.0 ppg), rebounds per game (3.0 rpg), field goal percentage (.468), three-point field goal percentage (.452) and free throw percentage (.887).

A two-time Honorable Mention All-American (2017 WBCA, 2018 AP) and three-time All-Big 12 Conference selection, Atkins played in 121 career games (100 starts) during her four seasons with the Longhorns (2015-18). She recorded 1,497 career points (No. 20 in school history) and reached double figures in scoring 81 times. Her 83.1-percent career free throw percentage ranks fourth in school history, while her 37.3-percent career three-point field goal percentage is sixth in program history.

Atkins is the fourth Longhorn to compete as a player for Team USA in the Olympic Games, joining Clarissa Davis (1992, bronze medal), Kamie Ethridge (1988, gold medal) and Andrea Lloyd (1988, gold medal). Nell Fortner also served as head coach for Team USA in 2000 and led the Americans to the gold medal in Sydney.

2020 U.S. Olympic Women's Basketball Results

July 27

USA 81, Nigeria 72

July 30

USA 86, Japan 69

Aug. 2

USA 93, France 82

Aug. 4 (Quarterfinals)

USA 79, Australia 55

Aug. 6 (Semifinals)

USA 79, Serbia 59

Aug. 8 (Gold Medal Game)

USA 90, Japan 75

Texas Women's Basketball Players who have Participated in the Olympic Games

Year (Site)	Player	Country	Team Result
1988 (Seoul)	Kamie Ethridge	United States	Gold Medal
1988 (Seoul)	Andrea Lloyd	United States	Gold Medal
1992 (Barcelona)	Clarissa Davis	United States	Bronze Medal
2020 (Tokyo)	Ariel Atkins	United States	Gold Medal

The University of Texas at Austin Athletics

Atkins, Team USA earn Gold Medal at Tokyo Olympics