OXFORD, Ohio— Head coach Samantha Pitter has announced two honorary additions to the Miami University swimming and diving team: 11-year-old Zoya and 7-year-old Sami.
 
Zoya, battling Osteogenesis imperfecta, and Sami, battling Osteogenesis imperfecta and Arthrogryposis, officially signed with the team Monday evening at Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center. They will both participate in many activities with Miami over the next two years, including meets, practices and other team events.
 
These are the first Team IMPACT members to join Pitter's RedHawk team. 
 
"We are so excited to welcome Sami and Zoya to our program. Since I got here, our message has been to compete for something bigger than yourself," said Pitter. "For an individual sport, this can sometimes be hard. Sami and Zoya bring that mission to life. Their attitude and excitement to be a part of something bigger is what we are all about at Miami Swimming & Diving!"

Team IMPACT's unique multi-year 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 2,300 children with 700+ colleges and universities in 49 states, impacting more than 60,000 student-athletes. If you know a child or team who may be interested, please visit www.teamimpact.org.