Columbia Athletics Deepens Commitment to Team IMPACT
4/30/2026 10:00:00 AM | General
The Lions Are Expanding Opportunities for Children Facing Serious Illness and Disability in New York
NEW YORK — Columbia Athletics is proud to announce an official partnership with Team IMPACT, a national nonprofit that connects children facing serious illness and disability with college athletic teams. This collaboration formalizes a longstanding relationship and creates new opportunities to expand the program's reach across Columbia's campus and athletic community.
"This partnership reflects the values at the heart of Columbia Athletics: community, inclusion, and service," said Peter Pilling, Campbell Family Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education. "We are proud of the relationships we've built through Team IMPACT and look forward to expanding our involvement and welcoming even more children into our teams."
Columbia Athletics has welcomed more than 15 children through Team IMPACT matches, integrating them into varsity teams where they gain a sense of belonging, confidence, and support. Through this expanded partnership, the organizations will build on that momentum by increasing the number of matches and deepening engagement across campus in the years ahead. The goal is to match at least 80 percent of Columbia University's varsity sports teams with children through Team IMPACT.
"We're excited to deepen our partnership with Columbia University," said Krissie Kelleher, Team IMPACT CEO. "The Columbia community has already shown a strong commitment to our mission, and together we can create more opportunities for children and student-athletes to experience the power of belonging and team."
Team IMPACT Awareness Day is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, when the Columbia Softball team hosts Harvard on Saturday, May 2, at 12:30 p.m. The event will bring together student-athletes, matched children, and their families to celebrate the relationships formed through the program and to raise awareness for its continued growth.
About Team IMPACT
Team IMPACT's unique multiyear program signs children facing serious illness and disability onto college athletic teams across the country. Based on a clinical model, Team IMPACT guides a symbiotic relationship between teams and children focused on socialization, empowerment, and resilience, ensuring everyone involved has the personalized game plan they need to win – effectively building confidence and independence. Founded in 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 4,000 children with 800+ colleges and universities in 50 states, impacting more than 95,000 student-athletes. If you know a child or team who may be interested, please visit www.teamimpact.org.
"This partnership reflects the values at the heart of Columbia Athletics: community, inclusion, and service," said Peter Pilling, Campbell Family Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education. "We are proud of the relationships we've built through Team IMPACT and look forward to expanding our involvement and welcoming even more children into our teams."
Columbia Athletics has welcomed more than 15 children through Team IMPACT matches, integrating them into varsity teams where they gain a sense of belonging, confidence, and support. Through this expanded partnership, the organizations will build on that momentum by increasing the number of matches and deepening engagement across campus in the years ahead. The goal is to match at least 80 percent of Columbia University's varsity sports teams with children through Team IMPACT.
"We're excited to deepen our partnership with Columbia University," said Krissie Kelleher, Team IMPACT CEO. "The Columbia community has already shown a strong commitment to our mission, and together we can create more opportunities for children and student-athletes to experience the power of belonging and team."
Team IMPACT Awareness Day is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, when the Columbia Softball team hosts Harvard on Saturday, May 2, at 12:30 p.m. The event will bring together student-athletes, matched children, and their families to celebrate the relationships formed through the program and to raise awareness for its continued growth.
About Team IMPACT
Team IMPACT's unique multiyear program signs children facing serious illness and disability onto college athletic teams across the country. Based on a clinical model, Team IMPACT guides a symbiotic relationship between teams and children focused on socialization, empowerment, and resilience, ensuring everyone involved has the personalized game plan they need to win – effectively building confidence and independence. Founded in 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 4,000 children with 800+ colleges and universities in 50 states, impacting more than 95,000 student-athletes. If you know a child or team who may be interested, please visit www.teamimpact.org.
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