RIO DE JANEIRO – With Kathleen Baker leading off in the backstroke and Dana Vollmer giving the United States the lead for good in the butterfly, Team USA came through with a gold medal in the final swimming event of the 2016 Olympics Saturday night – the 400-meter medley relay.

Baker, the silver medalist in the 100 back who will be a sophomore at Cal in the fall, was the first to the wall at the 50-meter mark and closed with a 59.00 opening split. With the U.S. down by a hair after the breaststroke leg, Vollmer completed a 56.00 split – fastest of any swimmer in the pool – to put her team in front, and the Americans went onto successfully defended their title with time off 3:53.13.

In addition to Baker and Vollmer, incoming freshman freestyler Abbey Weitzeil received gold for helping the U.S. earn the top qualifying time in the prelims.

For Vollmer, a member of the winning medley relay at the 2012 Games in London, the result handed her a third medal in these Olympics. Following a silver in the 400-meter free relay, she earned a bronze medal in the 100-meter butterfly. As a result, her career total rose to  seven medals, which includes a combined four gold medals from the 2004 and 2012 Olympics.

A 2009 Cal graduate, Vollmer is now the second-most decorated women's swimmer in Cal history, trailing only Natalie Coughlin, who compiled 12 medals over three Olympics from 2004-12.

Overall, Cal women's swimmers claimed eight medals in the Olympics. Weitzeil also earned silver in the 400-meter free relay, and Missy Franklin gained a gold medal for her role in the prelim qualifying for the 800-meter free relay.

Combined with the Golden Bear men, Cal swimmers totaled an amazing 19 medals at the 2016 Olympics.