SAN FRANCISCO - With the Olympic Winter Games set to officially begin with the Opening Ceremony on Friday in Pyeongchang, South Korea, 22 delegates with ties to Pac-12 member institutions with 21 athletes competing for medals over the course of the 17 days of the Games.

Highlighting the list of Pac-12 contingent are current COLORADO student-athlete Petra Hyncicova. Hyncicova is representing her home country of the Czech Republic and competing in the sport of cross country skiing. Jung-Hwa Seo, a former USC student, will represent host-country South Korea. The freestyle skier is headed to her third Olympics.

The Pac-12 delegation includes representation from six different countries, including 17 from Team USA. Of the 21 athletes competing, 14 are men and seven are women. Additionally, the athletes will be participating in 10 different disciplines.

UTAH has the biggest contingent 14 delegates, including Snorri Einarsson of Iceland. Einarsson was a three-time All-American with the Utes, winning a NCAA title in 2007, USA’s Mark Engel claimed the giant slalom title at the 2014 NCAA Championships, and, competing for Canada, Ronni Remme is a three-time All-American from 2016-17 and competed at the NCAA Championships.

The Buffs send a contingent of six athletes to Pyeongchang, including Hyncicova. Former Buff and member of Team USA, Joanne Reid heads to her first Olympics in the biathlon. She was a 2013 NCAA freestyle champion. A senior, Hyncicova is the defending NCAA Champion in the classic and freestyle skiing disciplines.

UCLA will have representation in Pyeongchang in Carlo Valdes, a USA bobsledder who was a track and field and football varsity athlete.

Pac-12 schools have long had a significant impact on the Summer Olympic Games, most recently sending over 270 athletes, coaches and other officials to the 2016 Games. Athletes with Pac-12 ties won 25 gold medals in Rio, which would have ranked fourth among all countries if the league was a nation, and 55 medals in total, which would have ranked fifth.

The qualifying rounds for a few disciplines begins Wednesday, Feb. 7, including ski jumping and biathlon, but the start of the Games will be celebrated on Friday, Feb. 9 with the competition going through the Closing Ceremony which is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 25.

To follow the Pac-12’s coverage of the Winter Olympics, visit https://pac-12.com/olympics/pyeongchang-2018, as well on social media on Facebook (Pac-12 Conference) and Twitter (@pac12). Pac-12 Networks will also have updates of the athletes in Pyeongchang on the network and Facebook, Twitter (@pac12networks) and Instagram (pac12conference).

Pac-12 Pyeongchang Olympians