Sports Envoy
Sports Envoy Program

Region: Greece

Jennifer Grubb

Soccer

Served as envoy

  • 2022  –  Greece

Jennifer is the owner and primary therapist at Cairn Consulting, LLC. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor who is passionate about helping two groups in particular: athletes who are facing the next level in the sport, addressing injury, or transitioning away from sport; and members of the LGBTQIA+ community who want to live into their authentic selves.

Additionally, Jennifer is a former professional soccer player who has represented her sport on both a national and international level during her nearly 20-year competitive career. Some of Jennifer’s notable accomplishments are:
● Representing the US Women’s National Team between 1995 and 1999
● Earning the title of “Iron Woman” for having played every minute of every game in a 3 year professional career
● Earning All-Star team selections in 2001, 2002, 2003 (WUSA)
● Becoming the first defensive 4-time All-American at the University of Notre Dame
● Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 1998 and 1999
● 4-Time Big East Champion and 4-Time Big East All-Tournament Team

After retiring from her playing career, Jennifer pledged to continue sharing her love of sports by supporting athletes as they address the unique demands that athletes face, especially as they pursue goals and overcome barriers related to reaching the next level in their performance.

Off the field, Jennifer’s leadership experience includes starting a violence prevention program utilized in elementary and middle schools, previously sitting on the Board of Directors for an organization that provides direct programming for grieving children and their families, being trained as an instructor for Teen Mental Health First Aid, and being a spokesperson for a campaign that provides free community education in grit and resilience. She currently holds a position on the ARC ND (Alumni Rainbow Community of Notre Dame) board of directors, a group that is committed to inclusion of and equity for the LGBTQIA+ community at the University of Notre Dame.

Tara Koleski

Soccer

Served as envoy

  • 2022  –  Greece

Tara Koleski is the current UWS FC Arizona Head Coach and FC Arizona Girls Director of Coaching.Koleski was the former Head Coach at Dominican University of California and former head coach for two seasons at NCAA DI UMBC and 3 seasons NCAA DII West Chester University.Tara was named the 2005 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Northeast Region Coach of the Year, the Southeast Pennsylvania Coaches Association (SEPCA) Women’s College Coach of the Year, and Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East Coach of the Year. Tara was the head coach of the semi-professional Rochester Reign of the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) and an assistant coach at Villanova University (2002).

As a player, Koleski competed at the NCAA DI level for University of Portland attending 2 final four tournaments awarded with honors for All-American, Offensive player of the year for WCC conference and team MVP. Koleski competed with the US U-21 National Team, and attended several US National Team pool camps. Koleski spent 2 season in the German Bundesliga for 1. FC Saarbrucken and was drafted in the 11th round to the first Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) professional league in the USA (2000-2003) playing for the San Diego Spirit and Philadelphia Charge.

Tara holds a USSF B license and NSCAA premier diploma.Tara has a Masters degree in Strategic Non-Profit Management from Harvard University, Certification in Entrepreneurship Essentials from Harvard University and a Masters Degree in Administrative Leadership from Northern Arizona University also with a Bachelors Degree in Sociology from University of Portland.

Ashley Robinson

Basketball

Served as envoy

  • 2012  –  Greece

Robinson, a retired 10-year WNBA veteran from Grand Prairie, Texas, graduated from South Grand Prairie High School in 2000 and went on to play for the legendary Pat Summitt at the University of Tennessee. Her Lady Vols competed in three Final Fours and two championship games. Robinson received a degree in Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations and a minor in Business.

Robinson was drafted 13th overall in the 2004 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury. She spent much of her career with the Seattle Storm, checking a championship off her bucket list with the Storm in 2010. Robinson was a member of the USA Women’s U18 team which won gold at FIBA Americas Championship in Argentina. Robinson also played overseas in various countries including Israel, Turkey, Russia, Spain, Czech Republic, Australia and South Korea.

Tracy Murray

Basketball

Served as envoy

  • 2009  –  Mozambique
  • 2012  –  Greece

Tracy Murray, one of the most decorated basketball players in UCLA history, began as color analyst for the Bruins in 2008. He has served in that capacity for every UCLA basketball season except 2015-16, where he left to become a shooting coach with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Murray played at UCLA from 1990-92 before enjoying a 12-year NBA career. He currently ranks 10th on the program’s all-time scoring list, having recorded 1,792 points in 98 career games. He averaged 18.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while helping UCLA to three-straight appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including a Sweet 16 trip in 1990 and an Elite Eight trip in 1992.

Murray, who starred at nearby Glendora High School, was selected in the first round of the 1992 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs following his junior season with the Bruins. Through 12 NBA seasons, he played for the Portland Trailblazers, Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers. He concluded his NBA career with averages of 9.0 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game in 659 total contests.

Peja Stojakavic

Basketball

Served as envoy

  • 2012  –  Greece

Peja Stojaković was born in Serbia on June 9, 1977.
After playing for KK Crvena zvezda and PAOK BC basketball club, while playing Greece Stojaković was drafted fourteenth overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 1996 NBA Draft. He continued to play there until the Kings signed him prior to the 1998–99 NBA lockout season. After two seasons on the bench with Sacramento, he had a breakthrough season in 2000–01, averaging 20.4 points and 5.8 rebounds while shooting .400 from three-point range in his first season as a starter. He finished second in voting for the 2001 Most Improved Player Award. In 2001–02, he played in the NBA All-Star Game for the first time. His scoring average went up to 21.2 ppg, and he reached career highs in shooting percentage (.484) and three-point percentage (.416). His scoring average dropped slightly to 19.2 ppg in 2002–03, but he played again in the All-Star Game. In both seasons, he won the three-point shooting contest conducted during All-Star Weekend. In 2003–04, Stojaković was again selected as an All-Star, and finished second in the league in scoring with a career-high 24.2 ppg. He finished fourth in MVP voting and was voted on to the All-NBA 2nd Team. He also led the NBA in free-throw percentage (.933) and three-pointers made for the season (240). In 2004–05, he missed 16 games to injury, and was somewhat hampered in several games, but still averaged 20.1 ppg.

In 2006, Peja was traded to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for forward Ron Artest, ending his eight-year tenure with the Kings. However, he missed four games of their first round playoff series with the New Jersey Nets, all losses. During the 2006 offseason, he re-signed with the Pacers, only to be traded to the then-New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. On November 14, 2006, Stojaković scored a career-high 42 points against the Charlotte Bobcats, and became the first player in NBA history to open the game with 20 straight points for his team. He was soon sidelined for several months by injuries, including back surgery, as a result missing most of the 2006–07 season. On November 20, 2010, Peja was traded to the Toronto Raptors. After appearing in only two games, Stojakovic was released by the Raptors. He had missed 26 games due to a left knee injury. Two days later he signed a deal with the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks won the NBA Championship that year, with Peja averaging 7.1 points per game during the Mavericks’ playoff run. He scored more than 20 points in two different playoff games for the Mavericks.

While playing for his home country, Peja led the Yugoslavian national team to gold medals in the 2001 EuroBasket and 2002 FIBA World Championship. Often considered to be one of the most successful Serbian basketball players, Peja was named the Euroscar European Basketball Player of the Year by the Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport and the Mister Europa European Player of the Year twice by the Italian sports magazine Superbasket.

On December 19, 2011, Peja announced his retirement from basketball, ending a great career for one of the league’s greatest international players.