Erika HANSEN

A distance freestyler and medley swimmer, Erika Hansen started in college at the University of Georgia but transferred to the University of Texas. At Texas she won the NCAA title in the 500 free in 1991, after winning the 1,650 yard freestyle for Georgia in 1989. She was an 11-time All-American during her college career. Hansen swam at the 1988 and 1992 Olympics, swimming three individual events in 1992, just missing the podium in the 400 free with a fourth-place finish. Hansen was a five-time US Champion, winning 400 IM titles in 1984-85 and 1990, and the 200 butterfly in 1984 and 1991.

Hansen’s greatest international meet came at the 1985 Pan Pacific Meet in Tokyo, where she won gold in the 400 IM, silver in the 200 butterfly, and bronze in the 200 IM. She later went into coaching, starting as a graduate assistant at the University of Florida from 1994-96, where she earned a masters’ degree in sports management. She was later an assistant coach at Southern California (1997-2003), Maryland (2004-05), and then at UCLA, starting in 2007. In 2008 she married UCLA diving coach Tom Stebbins. She eventually became head coach of UCLA Recreational classes, and also competed in masters swimming events.