Spring ’26: Paralympian caps UTA career
The summer of 2020 is one of the most memorable for Zoe Voris. It’s the year she debuted at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and won a bronze medal with Team USA. It’s also the year the Chicago native was accepted to The University of Texas at Arlington and began training with her dream team, the Lady Movin’ Mavs wheelchair basketball team.
Her time as a Lady Movin’ Mav ended last month in the championship game of the National Intercollegiate Wheelchair Basketball Tournament in Tucson, Arizona. And on Sunday at Globe Life Field, her academic career at UTA culminates as Voris receives a Bachelor of Arts degree in philanthropy—hoping to continue building her legacy in wheelchair basketball.
Born with spina bifida, all Voris has ever wanted to do is play basketball. She’s been competing in wheelchair basketball since she was 9 years old, and back then she never really thought about the prospect of being able to play in college. That is, until the UTA program became pretty big fans of her and started recruiting her in middle school.
“UTA building a relationship with me early on, fully supporting me and being fans of how I played—that’s something that I realized I really wanted in a school,” Voris said. “I clung onto that, and when I started applying to colleges there were others in the mix, but I only wanted UTA.”
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When she arrived on campus and met her new teammates, she said she was just ecstatic to continue playing basketball because it was all she’s ever wanted to do.
She went on to complete an epic collegiate wheelchair basketball career, with multiple national championship appearances, a win over longtime rival Alabama at College Park Center and continued success with Team USA. In January, she was among the 20 initial players selected for the 2026 Women’s USA Wheelchair basketball team.
While basketball came naturally, finding the right academic path took more time.
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After exploring psychology, art and communication studies, Voris was guided toward philanthropy within the College of Liberal Arts. She said the change ultimately provided her the most meaningful experience.
“I had a conversation with a professor in my first public speaking class, and if I had never talked to her, I would’ve never thought philanthropy,” Voris said. “After being in the classes and given experiences through the program, I have a much better idea about what I want to do. Everything in wheelchair basketball is tied to nonprofit work. The program I grew up playing in is a nonprofit.”
To Voris, giving back to programs like the Lady Movin’ Mavs and the one she grew up with is important to her. She wants to become someone who can create opportunities for others, just like it was once done for her.
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“There’s a lot of people out there who say they care about stuff but never get around to checking in once they’re gone. I want to be the person that does something,” Voris said. “With my experiences as a student-athlete and bringing my experience in philanthropy, I feel like I can really give back a lot to any program and be a good resource.”
Even though Voris’ college career is ending, she hopes to open other doors to keep her connected to wheelchair basketball. She’s also exploring options to train and play professional wheelchair basketball oversees and will remain active on Team USA’s roster.
“I’m super proud of the time I spent with the Lady Movin’ Mavs. We were a team that always wanted the best for each other and made it really feel like family,” Voris said. “I’m also glad and grateful I landed in a program like philanthropy and received a degree in something that’s become really important to me.”
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of Dallas-Fort Worth. With a student body of over 42,700, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation’s top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 300,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.