As we approach the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, we were curious about the role of college athletes in this major event. It's clear that college athletics has played a pivotal role for Olympic athletes for many years. In fact, 75% of athletes representing the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris have competed collegiately. According to the NCAA, 228 colleges representing 57 different conferences (DI, DII, & DIII) will have one or more U.S. Olympians competing in Paris. Students from NAIA schools as well as junior colleges also account for many of the Team USA roster spots. Twenty-one teams have at least 80% collegiate participation on their respective US Olympic roster, including 15 teams that have 100% representation by college athletes.
It also turns out that you don’t need to be a “Power 5 Conference” athlete - or even a Division I athlete - to compete for Team USA. Let’s check out a few lesser known DI, DII, or DIII schools with athletes in Paris. You've probably heard of Texas A&M...but have you heard of Texas A&M-Commerce? The Texas A&M that you have likely heard of is the second largest university in the U.S. with approximately 62,000 undergrads. Texas A&M-Commerce is home to just under 12,000 students. It also became an NCAA Division I school just two years ago. While still a Division II university in 2019, track and field athlete Joseph Brown captured the NCAA Division II national title in the discus, and now will compete for the red, white, and blue in Paris.
Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio is a perennial Division II athletics powerhouse and has produced Olympic champion and two-time world champion pole vaulter Katie Moon, as well as men’s hurdler phenom, Trevor Bassitt. Talk about some small school success! Even NCAA DIII programs get some Olympic love with athletes hailing from the University of Chicago, Williams, Bowdoin, and Elmhurst. This is a prime example of finding a college that fits both your academic AND athletic profile!
A few Summer Olympic sports are carried by a select number of schools at particular divisions. Olympic sports such as fencing, rugby (women’s only), beach volleyball, and water polo are examples of NCAA sports that are much harder to find at colleges across the country. For example, you may believe that fencing is considered an “elite” sport, reserved for Ivy League institutions. However, NCAA fencing programs exist within all three NCAA divisions across the US (check out the list HERE!). Seeing the colleges where athletes on the US Olympic roster attend, or have graduated from is eye opening and might actually surprise some.
If there is another sport you love that is not considered a “varsity sport” or formally offered at your college of choice, don’t fret! Many Olympic athletes simply participate at their college as a member of a club sport, or are considered a non-varsity NCAA athlete (they may compete in a unique league or have an affiliation as a non NCAA-sanctioned sport). Many of these athletes are current college students or college graduates that partook in their athletics in a truly extracurricular way. Talk about commitment and endurance!
If you're a high school student with Olympic dreams AND you're thinking of pursuing your sport at the college level, be sure to check out our recent webinar and blog post on the process of becoming a college athlete here! While we can't guarantee you'll be on the podium 4 years from now, we know you'll find the information helpful as you plan you path as a future collegiate athlete!
Finally, interested in checking out what colleges are sending athletes from which sports to the Olympics this year? Check out this great interactive chart from the NCAA!