News — COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will be honored with the 2024 Team USA Collegiate Impact Award – Paralympic Gold Award, as announced today by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. The award celebrates the top-contributing schools to Team USA’s performance at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. The five inductees – who form the Class of 2024 – will be honored at the National Football Foundation’s 66th annual awards celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Las Vegas. "We are extremely pleased to again partner with the National Football Foundation to announce the Team USA Collegiate Recognition Awards as part of the festivities surrounding the NFF Annual Awards Dinner in Las Vegas," said Rocky Harris, USOPC chief of sport performance and NGB services. "We recognize football operating revenues offer important support for Olympic and Paralympic sport opportunities on campus, and how important those opportunities are to current and future Team USA athletes. We are thrilled to celebrate the schools that support Team USA, and to honor this holistic sport model with the NFF." Of the 606 U.S. Olympians who competed for Team USA in Paris, 75% competed collegiately across 172 schools and 46 conferences. Additionally, 15 different U.S. Olympic rosters had 100% collegiate participation in Paris. At the Paralympic Games, 53% of Team USA’s 225 Paralympians competed collegiately across 94 schools and 45 conferences. Three U.S. Paralympic rosters had 90% or greater college athlete participation.
Current and former college athletes also played an integral role in Team USA’s medal-winning performances in Paris. In total, 84% of U.S. Olympic medalists competed collegiately and 54% of U.S. Paralympic medalists competed collegiately. The Class of 2024 contributed to 52 of 231 total medals earned by members of Team USA at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and is comprised of:
- Olympic Gold Award:Stanford University; 23 U.S. medalists
- Olympic Silver Award: Pennsylvania State University; 12 U.S. medalists
- Olympic Bronze Award: University of Texas—Austin and University of Kentucky; 9 U.S. medalists
- Paralympic Gold Award:University of Illinois; 20 U.S. medalists
In Paris, the Team USA’s men’s wheelchair basketball team—led by two Illinois alums—won its third straight gold medal, defeating Great Britain, while the women’s wheelchair team—led by three Illini–took silver. As far as individuals, Illinois alum Tatyana McFadden won her 21st Paralympic medal and became the most decorated U.S. Paralympic track and field athlete in history; Illinois track and field athlete Susannah Scaroni won four medals and Brian Siemann and Daniel Romanchuk each won two medals.
“We are so proud of our Illini Paralympians,” said Maureen Gilbert, coordinator, office of campus life in Disability Resources and Educational Services, where Illinois Paralympians train. “Their achievements showcase the program’s unwavering commitment to excellence, and the incredible talent of our wheelchair athletes.”
More information about Team USA’s collegiate footprint at the Paris Games can be found at .
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