Photo by galaygobi on flickr

More than 20 athletes and coaches with ties to Central Texas will be competing in the Games, which begin August 8. Most are current or former University of Texas competitors on the U.S. squad, but there's a bit of international flavor as well.

The UT swimming and diving program has produced the most Olympians on this year's team. Former stars Aaron Peirsol, Ian Crocker, and Brendan Hansen accounted for nine medals in the Athens games four years ago. They'll be joined on the men's squad by Garrett Weber-Gale, Ricky Berens, Dave Walters, and Westlake's Scott Spann, who recently transferred to UT from the University of Michigan. Longhorn coach Eddie Reese will serve as the head coach of the U.S. men's swim team.

On the women's side, incoming freshman Kathleen Hersey will swim for the United States in the 200-meter butterfly. Current team members Susana Escobar (Mexico) and Hee-Jin Chang (South Korea) will compete for their native countries.

Former Longhorn divers Troy Dumais and Laura Wilkinson are part of the U.S. team, and UT diving coach Matt Scoggin will serve as an assistant diving coach for Team USA.

On the track, 400-meter running Sanya Richards is likely to grab headlines as one of the favorites in that event. She's joined on the women's team by Michelle Carter (shot put) and sprinter Marshevet Hooker.

The men's track team is coached by UT's Bubba Thornton and features NCAA 1,500-meter champion Leo Manzano of Marble Falls. Joining them are high jumper Andra Manson and decathlete Trey Hardee.

UT's all-time premier softball player, Cat Osterman, returns to the Olympics as part of a dominant U.S. team, while former Longhorn Taylor Teagarden will play for the U.S. baseball squad.