MSU alumna Emily Regan displays her gold medal. Regan won gold in rowing.
—MSU alumna and 2016 gold medal Olympian, Emily Regan, is back in East Lansing to be recognized at Saturday's football game against the Wisconsin Badgers.
"I've walked on the field a couple of times after winning World Championships," Regan said. "I think people appreciate the Olympics more than World Championships because it comes once every four years. ... I'm sure it will be a great experience."
Regan and the U.S. women's rowing team won gold with a winning time of 6:01.49 in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
"The last time I was back was last fall and I had so much ahead of me in terms of an entire year of training," Regan said. "It's just so much to go through to get to the Olympics."
While in East Lansing, Regan will also be attending the MSU Varsity S Club Banquet on Sept. 23 as a guest speaker.
"People will have shared similar experiences to me in the Varsity S Club," Regan said. "But what I am going to talk about a lot is how Michigan State helped me get to where I am today."
Back in Michigan, it has been an emotional roller coaster ride for Regan.
Regan surprised MSU rowing coach Matt Weise when she arrived at MSU.
"He was actually in a meeting with all the rowing staff," Regan said. "When I came in, it was just fun to bring back my medal and show everybody."
Regan said she has cried a handful of times seeing people while being home.
"When I first got home, every time I would see someone new in my family or someone else I was really close with, I would just get really emotional." she said.
Regan will have the opportunity to throw the first pitch at the Detroit Tigers baseball game this weekend.
"I'm really excited for that, I'm also a little nervous ... I've never played baseball or softball before," Regan said. "Someone in one of those sports is going to help sort of coach me a little bit sometime in the next couple of days."
Life after the 2016 Olympics is definitely a change, Regan said.
"I'm not in one of the high-profile sports, so the attention came once we made the team," Regan said. "It has been a change, but I'm thankful to have the opportunity to get my sport out there."
Weise coached Regan all four years of her rowing career while at MSU, and he said he was proud of her accomplishments.
"There is a moment that she got down to Rio, and you just want to hear about it and share some of that experience she's had," Weise said. "At this point once you've graduated from here you get to become a fan of hers rather than her coach."
Weise will escort Regan onto the football field during Saturday's game.
"I will be walking her out during the football game," Weise said. "See, I get to do all the fun stuff like that, so that will be great."
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