These Colleges Produced Individual Olympic Medalists. Is Yours on the List?

American colleges are a major training ground for Olympic talent. This year, about three out of every four athletes on the 592-member U.S. Olympic team played for an American college.

Those athletes — and many more from other countries — enroll not just for the education but because American universities have built some of the best sports facilities in the world. They have hired the top coaches, trainers, and medical professionals. And they’ve cemented themselves as the places to go if you want to compete against the very best.

That’s been made possible by the immense profitability of college football. Billions of dollars in TV revenue have enabled the wealthiest conferences to build huge stadiums, pay eye-popping coaching salaries, and sponsor Olympic sports. Women’s sports have benefited in particular because of Title IX, the law that spurred colleges to build out robust women’s teams to balance football rosters that can exceed 100 players.

But that’s all about to change. Colleges in the most lucrative conferences will soon be sharing revenue directly with players, and all Division I institutions will have to contribute to a $2.75-billion settlement, if a judge approves its terms. That means there may be less money for Olympic sports, which do not typically generate revenue. And pending legal cases may further squeeze athletics departments.

But for now, colleges remain a key factor in Olympic success. The Chronicle tracked which colleges helped produce the most medals at this year’s Games, by identifying the American campus or campuses each medalist — from any country — competed for, if any. This list includes only medals in individual contests, not team sports or relays.