Forever known for her surprising dominance against the East Germans in the 400-meter freestyle relay at the 1976 Montreal Games (she was only 15!), Sterkel's swimming career was also notable for its longevity. She was the first woman to make four U.S. Olympic swim teams (1976, '80, '84, '88) before toweling off and heading for the coaching office, where she rose to the level of head coach for the Texas Longhorns during her 14-year tenure (from '92 to '06). Under her guidance, the team achieved 12 top-10 finishes in the NCAA championships, and 11 conference titles. Today, she serves as the director of women's athletics letterwinners for her alma mater.