PRINCETON, N.J. & COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee today announced Robin Harris (Ivy League), Grace Latz (University of Wisconsin-Madison/US Rowing) and Sydney Barta (Stanford University/USA Track & Field) will join the USOPC Collegiate Advisory Council as new members. Harris will replace Scott Stricklin (University of Florida), Latz will replace Chaunté Lowe (Georgia Tech) and Barta will replace Jessica Heims (University of Northern Iowa), who have all completed their terms. 

“The connection between college athletics and the Olympic and Paralympic movements has never been more vital,” said 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 begin their appointments at the council’s annual meeting at the Women Leaders in Sports national convention this fall. With the finalization of the House v. NCAA settlement and the constantly evolving collegiate athletics landscape, the council remains focused on its mission to identify and implement strategies that will sustain and grow broad-based sport sponsorship and investment across NCAA Divisions I, II and III. The council’s work is rooted in three priority areas: broad-based advocacy, financial sustainability and audience development.

Harris, executive director at the Ivy League, joins the council with decades of influential experience and leadership in collegiate sport. The Ivy League sponsors 34 NCAA Division I sports and is renowned for its sustained history of Olympic success – which dates back to 1896. At the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the Ivy League had the fourth-most athletes on Team USA with 51 athletes across 12 sports. As part of her appointment, Harris will be an at-large representative.

“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,” said 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 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Latz brings a wealth of experience from both the Team USA and collegiate systems. Latz had a storied career both at Wisconsin and on the international stage with multiple world championships medals and is now the communications lead at Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative and a sports broadcaster and commentator for rowing events on NBC Sports, ESPN+, the Big Ten Network and USRowing. Latz will join the council as an Olympic athlete representative.

 

Barta, the first Paralympian on the Stanford track and field roster and Paralympic representative on the Team USA Athletes’ Commission, brings first-hand experience to the council as a current 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 major at Stanford and president of the Stanford Engineering Honor Society, Tau Beta Pi, will join the council as a Paralympic athlete representative.

“We’re proud to represent the athlete voice on the Collegiate Advisory Council and help strengthen the pathway from campus to Team USA,” said Latz and Barta, athlete representatives joining 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 will 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 representative)

·         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 representative

“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,” said 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 meeting with the new leaders on Oct. 13 in Kansas City.

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The USOPC collegiate partnerships department launched in 2016 to help bridge the important connection between the collegiate and Olympic/Paralympic landscapes. With the majority of Team USA athletes competing collegiately during their athletics journeys, the department focuses on three primary areas: aligning leaders to advance athletic programming on campus, removing impediments faced by college athletes competing both intercollegiatly and in the Team USA system, and messaging the value of Olympic/Paralympic sport opportunities on campus. More information can be found at usopc.org/college.