2-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Megan Jendrick (née Megan Quann) will be inducted into the State of Washington Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 2019. The 7 member class will bring the hall up to 217 inductees since it opened in 1960, and Jendrick becomes the 6th inductee from the sport of swimming.
The 35-year old hails from Tacoma Washington. In the year 2000, at only 16, she qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympic Games, where she won gold medals both individually in the 100 breaststroke and as part of the American 400 medley relay. After missing the 2004 Olympic team, she retired from swimming and was inducted into the Pacific Northwest Swimming Hall of Fame – but that was not the last we’d hear from her in the pool.
She came out of retirement to win 3 gold medals at the World University Games in 2005. By 2007, she was the silver medalist in the 200 breaststroke at the World Championships, and a year later she qualified to swim the individual 100 breaststroke and as part of the American 400 medley relay at the 2008 Olympic Games. She competed in 2008 as Megan Jendrick after marrying her husband, Nathan.
In 2009, she split a 30.40 on the first 50 meters of a 200 breaststroke to break Jessica Hardy’s American Record in the event. That was the 27th American Record breaking swim of her career.
She gave birth to her first child in late 2011, and 7 months later competed at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. A year later, she swam at the US National Championships, with a high finish of 3rd in the 50 breaststroke, and in September announced her retirement from international swimming.
Most of Jendrick’s youth was spent in the state of Washington. She attended Emerald Ridge High School in Puyallup and began college at Pacific Lutheran University before transferring to and graduating from Arizona State. She now lives with her family in suburban Tacoma, where she works as the director of Parks & Rec in Fife.
Other inductees to the hall of fame from swimming include 2 coaches, Ray Daughters (2013) and Dick Hannula (1994); and 3 swimmers, Kaye Hall-Greff (1983), Helene Madison (1960), and Jack Medica (1962). All 4 swimmers chosen have at least 2 Olympic gold medals.
Also in the 2019 Hall of Fame class:
- Rick Rizzs – Seattle Mariners broadcaster
- Steve Raible – Seattle Seahawk broadcaster
- Jason Hanson – Washington State and Detroit Lions placekicker; retired as NFL record holder in many categories, including most field goals made from over 40 yards. Only player in NFL history to score 2,000 points with 1 franchise.
- Bernie Fryer – All-American high school football and basketball player; 28-year NBA official who worked 12 NBA Finals games and 1998 NBA All-Star game.
- Dan Fitzgerald – head coach at Gonzaga University from 1978 until 1997. Built the Bulldogs into NCAA power, including leading the team to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 1995.
- Sugar Ray Seales was the only American boxer to win a gold medal at the 1972 Olympic Games.
Megan Quann was the Missy Franklin of her day!
This girl was something special. I coached several breaststrokers against her in the mid-2000’s and I knew my girls lost before they even climbed up to the blocks. Megan had such a way of psyching her opponents out before they even heard the buzzer that I was driven absolutely nuts. But boy she was fun to watch. Well deserved honor, Megan!
Congratulations Megan! What an incredible person and athlete! She is an amazing role model for younger swimmers to look up to and her positive influence extends far and wide.
Wow! I didn’t realize she has been retired so long! Always a joy to watch swim. She was America’s darling in 2000. I still remember her McDonalds commercial. I might even have it on VHS somewhere!