The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee Collegiate Advisory Council is a first-of-its-kind group established to strengthen Olympic and Paralympic sports in the American collegiate system. Chaired by Bernard Muir, director of athletics at Stanford University, the 12-member council is comprised of collegiate administrators and Team USA athletes who advocate for broad-based Olympic and Paralympic sport programming at the collegiate level and represent institutions that have historically contributed to Team USA’s success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The CAC is rooted in its mission: Strengthen and lead collaboration efforts to align our country's unique collegiate athletic landscape and the Olympic and Paralympic Movements to support Team USA's collegiate athletes. It operates through three core programming areas:

  • Alignment modeling: Align collegiate and NGB decision-makers to enhance development opportunities.
  • Pathway advancement: Advance sport pathways for student-athletes and coaches to strive for holistic excellence.
  • Messaging integration: Celebrate Team USA's student-athletes to sustain and grow support for collegiate sport programs.

 

 

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Bernard Muir
CAC Chair
Stanford University
Director of Athletics

 

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Sandy Barbour
Former Penn State University
Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics


Greg Byrne
University of Alabama
Director of Athletics


Lauren Crandall
Athlete
Wake Forest University


Bubba Cunningham
USOPC Board Member
University of North Carolina
Athletic Director

headshot of bernard muir

Jessica Heims
Athlete
University of
Northern Iowa


Chauntè Lowe
Athlete
Georgia Tech University

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Rob Mullens
University of Oregon
Athletic Director


Jamie Pollard
Iowa State University
Director of Athletics

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Gene Smith
The Ohio State University
Sr. VP, Athletics Director

 
Kendall Spencer
Athlete
University of New Mexico

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Scott Stricklin
University of Florida
Athletic Director		  

 

We would like to thank the following past CAC members for their service to the USOPC Collegiate Advisory Council:

  • Bob Bowlsby - Former Big 12 Conference Commissioner
  • Chris Plonsky - University of Texas - Chief of Staff, Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director
  • Kevin White - Former USOPC Board member & Former Duke University - Vice President, Director of Athletics

The pathway project aims to remove impediments faced by student-athletes who are simultaneously competing in both the collegiate and Olympic and Paralympic systems. Spearheaded by Bob Bowlsby, Big 12 Conference commissioner and former USOPC board member, the pathway project is a multi-pronged approach that includes collecting athlete feedback, working collaboratively with schools and conferences, and developing reform proposals for legislative consideration.

On January 23, 2020, the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Council and Board of Directors unanimously approved legislation aimed at extending training and resource flexibility to allow these elite athletes to reach their potential.To learn more about the legislation and its implementation, click here or select “Pathway Project” in the navigation.

Led by Sandy Barbour, vice president for intercollegiate athletics at Penn State University, the messaging project is rooted in helping schools tell the stories of their Olympic, Paralympic and national team student-athletes – not just every two years, but continuously throughout the Olympic and Paralympic cycle. Through increased awareness of how collegiate athletics programs have helped develop Olympians and Paralympians, more support can be garnered to keep those programs strong and viable on campus.

As part of the project, the USOPC launched of two parallel campaigns – Olympians Made Here and Paralympians Made Here – to celebrate national team student-athletes and advance collegiate Olympic and Paralympic sport opportunities on campuses across the country. More information on these non-commercial solidarity campaigns can be found here. 

October 2020 - USOPC and USOPC CAC Announce Sustainability Think-Tank to Support College Sports
June 2020 - USOPC CAC assess COVID-19 impact to national team training
April 2020 - USOPC CAC reviews legislation implementation and 2021 Tokyo communications operations adjustments
September 2019 - USOPC CAC moves concepts into 2019-20 NCAA legislative cycle and facilitates Olympians Made Here cooperation plan with NCAA
June 2019 - USOPC CAC recommends NCAA autonomy reforms to strengthen national team pathway for student-athletes