More than 23,000 student-athletes are helping children facing serious illness and disability experience the power of being part of a team
One year ago, the NCAA and Team IMPACT announced an expanded collaboration centered on a simple but powerful idea: connect student-athletes with children facing serious illness or disability through the shared experience of being part of a team.
Since then, the collaboration has grown opportunities for children and families across the country while creating meaningful experiences for NCAA student-athletes.
The collaboration builds on Team IMPACT’s long-standing mission of matching children with college athletics teams for a two-year experience that includes attending practices and games, participating in team activities and building relationships that often last far beyond graduation.
While Division II and other individual schools and conferences previously had partnered with Team IMPACT, this was the first year for the Association-wide partnership. The collaboration has helped bring that experience to new campuses, elevated opportunities at NCAA championships and amplified stories that demonstrate the transformative power of college sports.
By the numbers
30 schools received their first Team IMPACT match after the launch of the NCAA-Team IMPACT collaboration.
409 NCAA schools currently have active Team IMPACT matches.
More than 4,000 matches have been facilitated between children and college teams since 2011.
More than 23,000 student-athletes are currently participating in the program.
Team IMPACT matches and families attended 16 NCAA championships in the 2025-26 academic year.
11 NCAA teams that won national championships during the 2025-26 academic year had active Team IMPACT matches:
- Florida State, Division I women’s soccer.
- Indiana, football (FBS).
- Michigan, Division I men’s basketball.
- Montana State, football (FCS).
- Springfield, Division III men’s volleyball.
- Tufts, Division III field hockey.
- Tufts, Division III men’s soccer.
- UCLA, National Collegiate beach volleyball.
- Virginia, Division I men’s tennis.
- Virginia, Division I women’s swimming and diving.
- Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Division III women’s volleyball.
The IMPACT
The numbers tell one part of the story. The relationships tell the rest.
The reach of the collaboration continues to grow, but its impact extends far beyond participation numbers. In fact, 83% of participating student-athletes report improved mental health through their Team IMPACT experience, underscoring the lasting effect these relationships can have on everyone involved.
Anthony Pecorella, football, University of Maine
After overcoming cancer and drawing strength from relationships formed through Team IMPACT, Pecorella developed a deeper appreciation for resilience and community.
“As much as we’re impacting them, we are so much more impacted by the matches. These kids are real-life superheroes. … I think we can learn a lot from them about just being resilient.”
Read about Pecorella’s experience
Gala Trubint, women’s volleyball, Southern California
For Trubint, her friendship with Team IMPACT match Cesily changed the way she views both athletics and life.
“You hang out with your match, and it’s like your whole world opens up and your perspective completely shifts. This person’s having the time of their life and this means the world to them to just be here with us.”
Read about Trubint’s experience
Eden Williamson, women’s basketball, New York University
Williamson said her relationship with Amina, a 10-year-old living with sickle cell disease, provided a powerful lesson in perseverance.
“Seeing how resilient she is and how she gets through her tough times with a smile on her face, I think has made me realize bad days don’t have to be bad days.”
Read about Williamson’s experience
Zoë Bormet, field hockey, Michigan
Bormet thinks Team IMPACT helps student-athletes find purpose beyond competition.
“Having her a part of our team brings such purpose and light and meaning, especially off the field. Just having a purpose outside of the sport itself, being a part of something bigger and more meaningful than the sport itself, is everything.”
Read about Bormet’s experience
Sadie Goldin, women’s swimming and diving, North Texas
Goldin said the program’s impact is felt equally by children and student-athletes.
“This is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I really feel like there’s so many people who would benefit from a program like this. I want it to be on a bigger scale.”
Read about Goldin’s experience
Akpevwe Akpoigbe, volleyball, Tufts
Akpoigbe says some of the most meaningful moments come from simply showing up and building relationships.
“It’s such a rewarding experience because you learn a lot about yourself, but you also learn how much you’re impacting someone else.”
Read about Akpoigbe’s experience
Be part of the team
After a year of stories from campuses across the country, one theme has emerged consistently: Team IMPACT isn’t just changing the lives of children and families. It’s changing student-athletes, too.
“It’s Team IMPACT: We impact matches, they impact us,” Goldin said.
From helping children find community and belonging to giving student-athletes a deeper sense of purpose, the partnership has shown the power of college sports to create meaningful connections that extend long after the final whistle.
As the NCAA and Team IMPACT look ahead to the second year of the collaboration, schools, teams and families interested in participating can learn more and apply through the NCAA-Team IMPACT collaboration page.
