IRVINE, Calif. (June 13, 2022) – The U.S. Council for Athletes’ Health (USCAH) has entered into a three-year partnership with The Big West to provide athletic healthcare advising, policy and procedure development, and educational services to The Big West and its member institutions. These services include assessment of healthcare delivery models and resources, education pertaining to important health and safety concepts and review of institutional athletic medicine policies and procedures.
 
“The U.S. Council for Athletes’ Health is incredibly excited about this partnership and are committed to enhancing health and safety initiatives for The Big West’s member institutions.” Dr. Jim Borchers, USCAH President and CEO, said. “We look forward to a model that will enhance the experience for all constituents of The Big West.”
 
Founded in 2017, USCAH works with athletics programs to provide third-party, objective assessments of athlete health and safety practices, recommends new protocols, and delivers health measures aimed at improving the health, safety and wellness of all athletes. 
 
USCAH’s offering to Big West member institutions includes access to the Athletics Healthcare Administrators Association (AHAA). Strategically designed to be an aid to those connected to the administrative needs of an athletic organization, the AHAA offers peer and expert insights via live discussions, real-time industry news alerts, webinars, and other content focused on best practices in athletic healthcare delivery.
 
Big West institutions will have access to USCAH’s Policy Design and Development tool where they can develop and update health and safety policies pertinent to intercollegiate athletics.
 
In addition, all features of Athletics Healthspace, a USCAH developed e-learning platform dedicated to critical and timely athlete health and safety topics for student-athletes, coaches and athletic department staff, are available to each institution throughout the entirety of the partnership. Programs will include Mental Health, Preventing and Preparing for Catastrophic Injuries in Sport, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Sports.
 
Through this partnership, all Big West institutions will meet annual requirements for best practices in collegiate athletics.
 
"The health and safety of our student-athletes is paramount toward building an improved student-athlete experience in The Big West,” Commissioner Dan Butterly said. "Dr. Borchers noted his excitement for this partnership, but not as excited as The Big West is in working with USCAH to help support our athletic trainers and sports medicine personnel in their mission to manage the comprehensive health and care of our student-athletes.  I look forward to our institutions working through all of the programs available to them in this partnership to receive the USCAH Preferred a designation, which certifies an organization’s commitment to ongoing evaluation and education for optimal athlete healthcare and safety.”
 
The Big West becomes the fourth Division I athletics conference to become a league-wide USCAH partner, joining the Big Ten, Pac-12, and Southland Conference.
 
 
About USCAH
The U.S. Council for Athletes’ Health (uscah.com) provides independent, third-party athlete health and safety consultation, education and compliance from a team of experts with nearly 300 years of experience in athletics healthcare and administration. Founded in 2017, USCAH is committed to the health, safety and welfare of all athletes at all levels and dedicated to the mission of collaborating with every athletic organization to inspire and ensure athlete health and safety is a priority. As your partners in protection, USCAH works with institutions to reduce risk and make sports safer for every athlete. For more information, visit uscah.com or connect with USCAH on LinkedIn.
 
About The Big West
The Big West is an NCAA Division I member with 11 members with the shared goal of empowering every student-athlete in competition and in life and uniting its university communities through championship experiences. Formed in 1969, The Big West membership consists of Cal Poly, CSU Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, CSUN, Hawai‘i, Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara. The Big West is united in the pursuit of boundless opportunities, enduring integrity, bold activism, fearless innovation and the Pacific spirit of freedom, exploration and progress. 

The Big West sponsors 18 sports at the NCAA Division I level: baseball, softball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s volleyball, women’s beach volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field and women’s water polo.

For more information, visit BigWest.org or follow The Big West on Twitter @BigWestSports.
 
CONTACT
Madison Reid, USCAH
mreid@uscah.com
 
Jessica Lantz, The Big West
jlantz@bigwest.org