COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and NCAA Office of Inclusion today announced the activation of a historic Para track and field initiative which will crown the first wheelchair track champion at the 2023 Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom.
 
The historic effort comes as a result of the USOPC/NCAA Para-College Inclusion Project. The program, a partnership between the USOPC and NCAA Office of Inclusion, launched in Fall 2022 as a collaborative effort to engage schools with adaptive sport while simultaneously increasing Paralympic sport understanding, awareness and connection across the collegiate landscape. The work has been advanced by athletes and sport leaders representing the USOPC Collegiate Advisory Council, USOPC Paralympic Advisory Council, and various NCAA committees supporting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.   
 
One of four groupings, the Para track and field tactical team's recommendation included efforts focused on building the pathway for the sport of Paralympic track and field at the college level. Specifically, developing a mechanism to crown a wheelchair collegiate champion during the 2023 racing season. In doing so, youth athletes will have collegiate accolades as inspiration for athletes with disabilities to get involved in the sport.
 
Collaboration among the USOPC, Drake University, the University of Michigan and the NCAA Office of Inclusion resulted in the opportunity to crown the first-ever men's and women's Para-college wheelchair national champions at the Drake Relays. Held April 26-29 in Des Moines, Iowa, the 100-meter races will occur during the 2023 Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom where winners will be awarded with the inaugural 2023 Para-College Wheelchair National Champion trophy. The University of Michigan will provide travel and participation resources to all qualified wheelchair athletes who earn a top-three place finish or top-eight time to compete at Drake. The wheelchair championship will be part of the live broadcast on CBS Sports Network on Saturday, April 29 from 2 to 4 p.m. CT.
 
"I have had the privilege of representing my school, UNI, and my country, Team USA, at the Drake Relays so I know how powerful this platform can be to showcase elite Para Track and Field performances and to offer an inclusive event experience for the fans," said Jessica Heims, Paralympian and discus world record holder. "The crowning of the first-ever collegiate wheelchair national champion at Drake is the building blocks for great collegiate inclusion of adaptive sport."
 
"The Drake Relays has innovated in the sport of track and field for more than eleven decades and we are proud to partner with the USOPC and NCAA to lead in this new way," said Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays, Blake Boldon. "Since 2015, Drake Relays fans have applauded world-class performances from paralympic athletes, so crowning the first-ever collegiate wheelchair national champion is an exciting next page in the history of the already iconic Blue Oval."
 
Additional groundbreaking activities this spring include launching the first-ever Team USA vs. College All-Star wheelchair basketball event during March Madness and inclusion of wheelchair tennis events at various USTA and ITA championships.
 
About the USOPC
Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee serves as both the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States. The USOPC is focused on protecting, supporting and empowering America's athletes, and is responsible for fielding U.S. teams for the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games, and serving as the steward of the Olympic and Paralympic movements in the U.S. For more information, visit TeamUSA.org.
 
About the NCAA
The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and universities that prioritize academics, well-being and fairness to create greater opportunities for nearly half a million student-athletes each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year. Visit ncaa.org and ncaa.com for more details about the Association and the corporate partnerships that support the NCAA and its student-athletes. 
 
About the Drake Relays
The Drake Relays presented by Xtream powered by Mediacom has served as "America's Athletic Classic" since its first running in 1910. The annual competition, hosted by Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, is recognized internationally as a destination for the world's premier track & field athletes across multiple professional and amateur divisions. In 2020, the Drake Relays was named a Silver Level event on the World Athletics Continental Tour, one of only two meets in the United States to earn Silver Level status. In addition to its signature stadium competition, the Drake Relays includes two marquee road running events open to the general public — the Grand Blue Mile presented by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the Drake Road Races. For more information, visit drakerelays.org.
 
USOPC Contact:
Annemarie Blanco, USOPC Communications, 7196466921, Annemarie.blanco@usopc.org
 
NCAA Contact:
Gail Dent, NCAA Communications, 317-917-6117, gdent@ncaa.org
 
Drake Contact:
Danny Frey, Drake Athletic Communications, 515-271-3014, daniel.frey@drake.edu