Harris Appointed to USOPC Collegiate Advisory Council

PRINCETON, N.J. & COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee at present introduced Robin Harris (Ivy League), Grace Latz (University of Wisconsin-Madison/US Rowing) and Sydney Barta (Stanford University/USA Track & Field) will be part of the USOPC Collegiate Advisory Council as new members. Harris will exchange Scott Stricklin (University of Florida), Latz will exchange Chaunté Lowe (Georgia Tech) and Barta will exchange Jessica Heims (University of Northern Iowa), who’ve all accomplished their phrases. 

“The connection between college athletics and the Olympic and Paralympic movements has never been more vital,” mentioned USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland. “Many of Team USA’s most successful and promising athletes come from the collegiate sports system, and the guidance of collegiate leaders is essential to Team USA’s growth and success. We’re excited to welcome Robin, Grace and Sydney to the Collegiate Advisory Council – their deep commitment to student-athletes and Olympic and Paralympic sport will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen this important partnership.”

Harris, Latz and Barta will start their appointments on the council’s annual assembly on the Women Leaders in Sports nationwide conference this fall. With the finalization of the House v. NCAA settlement and the consistently evolving collegiate athletics panorama, the council stays targeted on its mission to establish and implement methods that can maintain and develop broad-based sport sponsorship and funding throughout NCAA Divisions I, II and III. The council’s work is rooted in three precedence areas: broad-based advocacy, monetary sustainability and viewers growth.

Harris, govt director on the Ivy League, joins the council with many years of influential expertise and management in collegiate sport. The Ivy League sponsors 34 NCAA Division I sports activities and is famend for its sustained historical past of Olympic success – which dates again to 1896. At the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the Ivy League had the fourth-most athletes on Team USA with 51 athletes throughout 12 sports activities. As a part of her appointment, Harris shall be an at-large consultant.

“It’s an honor to join the USOPC’s College Advisory Council and support the critical work of strengthening the bridge between collegiate athletics and the Olympic and Paralympic movements,” mentioned Harris. “The college environment plays a foundational role in the development of Team USA athletes, and I look forward to contributing to efforts that ensure student-athletes have the support and opportunities they need to thrive both academically and athletically.”

As an Olympian, USRowing board member, chair of the USRowing Athlete Council, Team USA Athletes’ Commission alternate and former collegiate rower on the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Latz brings a wealth of expertise from each the Team USA and collegiate programs. Latz had a storied profession each at Wisconsin and on the worldwide stage with a number of world championships medals and is now the communications lead at Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative and a sports activities broadcaster and commentator for rowing occasions on NBC Sports, ESPN+, the Big Ten Network and USRowing. Latz will be part of the council as an Olympic athlete consultant.

 

Barta, the primary Paralympian on the Stanford monitor and discipline roster and Paralympic consultant on the Team USA Athletes’ Commission, brings first-hand expertise to the council as a present NCAA student-athlete in USA Track & Field’s Tiered athlete program, a 2024 World Para Athletics Championships silver medalist and a six-time Parapan American Games medalist. Barta, a bioengineering main at Stanford and president of the Stanford Engineering Honor Society, Tau Beta Pi, will be part of the council as a Paralympic athlete consultant.

“We’re proud to represent the athlete voice on the Collegiate Advisory Council and help strengthen the pathway from campus to Team USA,” mentioned Latz and Barta, athlete representatives becoming a member of the council. “As current and former collegiate student-athletes, we’re committed to ensuring that future Olympians and Paralympians are supported, empowered and valued at every stage of their journey.”

 

With the addition of Harris, Latz and Barta, the 12-member council shall be comprised of:

·         Bernard Muir (USOPC CAC chair)

·         ^Sydney Barta (Stanford University)

·         Greg Byrne (University of Alabama)

·         Jen Cohen (University of Southern California)

·         ^Lauren Crandall (Wake Forest University)

·         Bubba Cunningham (University of North Carolina/USOPC board consultant)

·         Mark Harlan (University of Utah)

·         Robin Harris (The Ivy League)

·         ^Grace Latz (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

·         Rob Mullens (University of Oregon)

·         Jamie Pollard (Iowa State University)

·         ^Kendall Spencer (University of New Mexico)

^Denotes athlete consultant

“We’re deeply grateful to Scott Stricklin, Chaunté Lowe, and Jessica Heims for their service on the Collegiate Advisory Council and their commitment to strengthening the connection between college athletics and the Olympic and Paralympic movements,” mentioned Bernard Muir, chair of the USOPC CAC. “Each brought invaluable insight, passion and perspective to the table, and their contributions have helped shape a stronger foundation for the next generation of Team USA athletes.”

The USOPC CAC will convene its first assembly with the brand new leaders on Oct. 13 in Kansas City.

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The USOPC collegiate partnerships division launched in 2016 to assist bridge the necessary connection between the collegiate and Olympic/Paralympic landscapes. With the vast majority of Team USA athletes competing collegiately throughout their athletics journeys, the division focuses on three major areas: aligning leaders to advance athletic programming on campus, eradicating impediments confronted by faculty athletes competing each intercollegiatly and within the Team USA system, and messaging the worth of Olympic/Paralympic sport alternatives on campus. More info could be discovered at usopc.org/college.