Former UC Irvine All-American and national men’s volleyball champion David Smith is appearing in his fourth Olympic Games, a feat shared by only three other men’s volleyball players (Lloy Ball, Reid Priddy, Matt Anderson). Smith joins three other Anteaters who have appeared in four Olympics: men’s water polo player Ryan Bailey, sailor Lanee Butler-Beashel and diver Greg Louganis. “The other guys are legends of the sport so I sometimes hesitate to put myself on the same level with them because they were such amazing players and people,” Smith (above at the Olympic 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro) recently said. “I’m really proud of myself for the longevity and for how long I’ve been able to contribute at such a high level to this program. A lot of people don’t get this opportunity, and I’m very grateful.” The Paris Olympic games start this week, and you can read more about Anteater Olympians on the Athletics website.
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