SAN FRANCISCO - Today marks 100 Days until the start of the Summer Olympic Games in Rio and with that, the Pac-12 Conference officially announces its plans to “Follow the Pac-12 to Rio.” With by far more Olympians than any other league in the country, the Conference will once again track its current and former Pac-12 athletes, coaches and delegates leading up to and during the Summer Games.

The Conference has designated www.pac-12.com/rio as the official microsite of the “Follow the Pac-12 to Rio” campaign. The site houses all Olympics-related content produced by Conference, the Pac-12 Network, and member schools, as well as the official roster of participants. In addition, the Conference and Pac-12 Networks will follow Olympians on its various social media channels using the hashtag #BackthePac.

The Pac-12 will also celebrate its Olympians with original content leading up to and during the Rio Games. Programming on the Pac-12 Networks for the week of July 25-July 31 will center on the Conference’s and school’s history and future at the Olympics. Original content will also be produced from Rio that will be distributed exclusively on the microsite and via social media channels.

As shown by its superb Olympic tradition and excellence, Pac-12 institutions have proven to be a breeding ground for the world’s top athletes. For more than a century, athletes from member institutions have competed on the global stage, building a total medal count far exceeding most countries. In the 21st century, Pac-12 current and former student-athletes trail only the U.S., Russia and China in medals won at the Summer Olympics. 

Once again this year, the Conference will track the league’s medal count and offer daily recaps and guides to the Olympics. In 2012 in London, 255 athletes, coaches and delegates with Pac-12 ties participated in the Games and were responsible for 45 medals, including 19 golds. If the Pac-12 were a nation, it would have ranked fifth in the total medal count and the number of gold medals.

With 100 days until the Opening Ceremony, 31 Pac-12-affiliated athletes have already qualified for the Rio Olympics, representing 18 countries and eight different sports. 

At the 2012 London Games, Pac-12 athletes represented 46 different countries in 18 different sports and won medals for nine different countries. Eight of the 12 Pac-12 schools were also represented on the medal podium with USC leading all universities across the nation with 25 total medals, California was third with 17 and Stanford had 16. The top-three gold-medal winning institutions across the country were also from the Pac-12, with Stanford and USC each claiming 12. Cal had 11 to rank third and UCLA’s six medals tied for fifth.