The NCAA and Team IMPACT, a national nonprofit that matches children facing serious illnesses or disabilities with college sports teams, today announced a strategic collaboration that will foster long-term relationships between collegiate student-athletes and youths to inspire and promote belonging, empowerment and resilience.
The collaboration will expand Team IMPACT's reach, bringing its life-changing model to more families and NCAA student-athletes in all three divisions, while helping each child feel supported and allowing every team to discover a greater purpose. The NCAA and Team IMPACT will expand opportunities for children who will be matched with college sports teams at various NCAA championships to support the children's well-being and enrich the lives, community activism and leadership of student-athletes.
Team IMPACT's program is built on a clinical foundation, creating a personalized game plan for each child's therapeutic journey and social-emotional development. In addition, the organization equips student-athlete leaders with resources throughout the experience, which educates them about the program and what to expect from the experience. The joint effort with the NCAA will offer strength, connection and hope to children and student-athletes alike.
"This collaboration reflects the very best of college sports — using athletics and community to make a meaningful difference in the lives of the children, their families and student-athletes," NCAA President Charlie Baker said. "Team IMPACT's work changes the outlook for the children and transforms the student-athletes who welcome them. I have been fortunate enough to meet with coaches and student-athletes alike who are involved in the program, and the feedback is incredible. Student-athletes are learning about empathy, civic duty and a different type of resilience while giving back in their communities. We are incredibly proud to support this mission and help bring it to more teams across the country."
"This collaboration with the NCAA is a powerful validation of Team IMPACT's model and the work we have been doing for over a decade to leverage the power of team to change lives," said Krissie Kelleher, CEO of Team IMPACT. "Together, we will be able to reach more families and children who need hope, connection and strength, while giving student-athlete leaders a profound purpose beyond the game. We believe that every child navigating serious health challenges deserves a team and, with the NCAA as our teammate, we are closer to making that vision a reality."
The NCAA community engagement unit will coordinate the efforts with Team IMPACT. NCAA and Team IMPACT staff have had the opportunity to meet and strategically align both brands in an effort to create a positive experience for everyone involved.
"We look forward to working with the staff at Team IMPACT in this new NCAA community engagement collaboration to create meaningful, life-changing experiences for the participating children and college teams at NCAA championships and events," said Felicia Martin, NCAA senior vice president of inclusion, education and community engagement. "We believe this relationship with Team IMPACT will further the personal growth and leadership of our NCAA student-athletes, who are role models on their campuses and in their communities."
With over 1,100 current NCAA teams now partnered with Team IMPACT, this collaboration presents an enhanced platform to significantly broaden outreach, engage diverse audiences and foster opportunities to positively influence families and college communities across the nation. Notably, Team IMPACT's influence extends beyond the numbers, as surveys of participating student-athletes reveal that their involvement with these children has notably enhanced their mental health and overall well-being. In an era where mental health awareness is increasingly pivotal within collegiate athletics, this initiative underscores a proactive approach to addressing this pressing concern.
Since its inception in 2011, Team IMPACT has facilitated over 4,000 matches between children and teams across more than 800 colleges and universities. While the organization has previously partnered with individual schools, this expanded collaboration across all NCAA divisions marks a pivotal step forward, aimed at enhancing and broadening supportive team environments nationwide. Beginning in the 2025–26 academic year, Team IMPACT and the NCAA will launch coordinated initiatives and engagement strategies to further amplify their impact and reach within college communities.
