COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Triathlon and the USA Triathlon Foundation today announced the largest gift in the history of the Foundation, $850,000 from the TriDave Legacy Trust to support women’s collegiate triathlon becoming an official NCAA Championship sport.

Thanks to this historic donation made by the TriDave Legacy Trust, founded by longtime triathlete Dave Alexander, the USA Triathlon Foundation can support current and future women’s collegiate triathlon programs competing at the NCAA varsity level. The USA Triathlon Foundation is the charitable arm of USA Triathlon and raises funds for and makes grants in support of three pillars – encouraging youth participation, inspiring pathways to access and inclusion, and igniting Olympic and Paralympic dreams – to advance its mission and create a direct line to individuals, organizations and initiatives across the country that are dedicated to transforming lives through swim, bike and run.

“Achieving Championship status as a collegiate sport is a critical priority for USA Triathlon and this incredible, record-breaking gift by the TriDave Legacy Trust will have a tremendous, long-lasting impact on the future of women’s collegiate triathlon and triathlon overall,” said Christi-Marie Butler, USA Triathlon Chief Development Officer. “The TriDave Legacy Trust’s commitment to supporting and growing the sport of triathlon at the collegiate level is unmatched. Women’s collegiate triathlon is on the doorstep to becoming an official NCAA Championship sport and this extraordinary gift will provide more opportunities for women to compete at the collegiate level – and beyond.”

“The TriDave Legacy Trust’s founder, Dave Alexander, set a high standard in his competitive efforts in the sport of triathlon, and that same high standard applies to his efforts to develop support for the athletes who compete today,” said TriDave’s trustee, Brent Bowden. “We hope to continue Dave Alexander’s legacy of supporting triathletes and the sport of triathlon long into the future,” added Mr. Bowden.

Women’s collegiate triathlon is currently an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women, with more than 40 schools across the country offering the sport at the NCAA Division I, II and III levels. After hitting the 40-school mark, women’s collegiate triathlon has met the 10-year window to demonstrate sustainability and success at the NCAA varsity level. Women’s Triathlon now has a few more steps to take on its way to being fully managed by the NCAA as a championship event, including committee, council, divisional and budget approvals.

A fall sport, the women’s triathlon varsity season includes National Qualifiers, followed by the Women’s Collegiate Triathlon National Championships held in November. The draft-legal races are sprint-distance, featuring a 750-meter open-water swim, draft-legal 20-kilometer bike and 5-kilometer run.

For more information about triathlon as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women, visit USA Triathlon’s website.

Those who are interested in helping to identify and recruit the next women’s varsity collegiate triathlon program can contact Tim Yount, USA Triathlon Chief Sport Development Officer, at tim.yount@usatriathlon.org.

About the USA Triathlon Foundation

The USA Triathlon Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and the charitable arm of USA Triathlon. With its mission to transform lives through sport by providing opportunities to swim, bike and run, the Foundation serves to generate a greater impact on the multisport community through charitable giveback and grants that advance the Foundation’s three pillars: (1) Encourage youth participation; (2) Inspire pathways to access and inclusion; and (3) Ignite Olympic/Paralympic dreams. Since the Foundation was established in 2014, it has provided millions of dollars in grants to organizations and individuals in pursuit of its mission and pillars to create a healthier United States through triathlon.

About USA Triathlon

USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon, paratriathlon, and indoor and virtual multisport events in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,000 races and connects with more than 400,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors — as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation — USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Triathlon Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of World Triathlon and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).

USA Triathlon Foundation Receives Record-Breaking Gift by the TriDave Legacy Trust to Support NCAA Women’s Triathlon

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