The Columbus State University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is an organization comprised of student-athletes from CSU’s 13 NCAA sanction sports as well as its spirit squads. Each team has one representative, at minimum, helping and organizing charitable events, concession duties at CSU sporting events and other outreach in the community. In addition, SAAC offers input on NCAA and Peach Belt Conference regulations on policies that affect student-athletes and member institutions.
Purpose
- Community
- Service
- NCAA Legislation
- Representation
- Unify Athletics
Mission Statement: The mission of Columbus State University's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is to enhance the student-athlete experience by influencing and providing input on athletic and academic rules and regulations that will lead student-athletes to success. SAAC will use its leadership position on campus to create a stronger community and lead and recruit fellow student-athletes to serve the community through a variety of service programs and events, health promotion, social responsibility and general awareness.
What is a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee? (SAAC)
A student-athlete advisory committee (SAAC) is a committee made up of student-athletes assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience. The SAAC also offers input on the rules, regulations and polices that affect student-athletes' lives on NCAA member institution campuses. Presently, there are separate national SAACs for NCAA Divisions I, II and III. NCAA legislation mandates that all member institutions have SAACs on their respective campuses. Further, NCAA legislation requires that all member conferences have SAACs. The information that follows will assist you in understanding how the network of SAACs, from individual campus committees to the conference and/or national committees, interact and support one another to shape intercollegiate athletics policy and enhance the student-athlete experience.
Membership
- At least one member from each CSU sport team must be present at each meeting unless excused with a valid reason.
- If a member's GPA drops below eligibility, they can no longer participate in SAAC.
- While attending SAAC meetings, member must be open minded and respectful of others people's opinions.
- Each member must be actively involed in different subcommittees.
2023-24 SAAC Leadership Team
| Leo Giannoni |
Baseball |
| Peyton Burton |
Baseball |
| Jehloni James |
Men's Basketball |
| Grant Moore |
Men's Basketball |
| Declan McCahan |
Cheer |
| Katelyn Cooper |
Softball |
| Holly Lynn |
Softball |
| Avery Williams |
Women's Soccer |
| Sarah Hungerford |
Women's Soccer |
2023-24 SAAC Representatives
| Leo Giannoni |
Baseball |
| Peyton Burton |
Baseball |
| Jackson Chizek |
Baseball |
| Reese Pasley |
Men's XCTF |
| Dante Walls |
Men's XCTF |
| Alex Kendall |
Men's XCTF |
| Jehloni James |
Men's Basketball |
| Wisdom Ubouh |
Men's Basketball |
| Grant Moore |
Men's Basketball |
| Bernard Meyer |
Men's Golf |
| Trey Kelly |
Men's Golf |
| Marc Edwards |
Cheer |
| Declan McCahan |
Cheer |
| Caroline Cranford |
Cheer |
| Holly Lynn |
Softball |
| Katelyn Cooper |
Softball |
| Kenzie Bayer |
Softball |
| Amber Elder |
Women's XCTF |
| Alesia Johnson |
Women's XCTF |
| Jillian Bretz |
Women's Basketball |
| Kristyn Goshay |
Women's Basketball |
| Zuzanna Rudenko |
Women's Basketball |
| Maddy Krueger |
Women's Golf |
| Marine Legentil |
Women's Golf |
| Ansley Bufford |
Women's Golf |
| Avery Williams |
Women's Soccer |
| Kensley Zieba |
Women's Soccer |
| Sarah Hungerford |
Women's Soccer |
| Laura Pesickova |
Women's Tennis |
| Nikoline Gullacksen |
Women's Tennis |
| Elias Peter |
Men's Tennis |
| Daniel Hammond |
Men's Tennis |
On Campus Advisors
| Tanika Colvin |
Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine / SWA |
| Kimberly Gill |
Faculty Athletics Representative |
History of the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
An Association-wide SAAC was adopted at the 1989 NCAA Convention and was formed primarily to review and offer student-athlete input on NCAA activities and proposed legislation that affected student-athlete welfare.The initial national committee was comprised of student-athletes from all membership divisions for the purpose of insuring that the student-athlete voice was one that accounted for the myriad of educational and athletics experiences of both female and male student-athletes at all NCAA member institutions. In August 1997, the NCAA federated along divisional lines. The federation caused the SAAC to expand to three SAACs representing NCAA Divisions I, II and III.
Each national divisional committee is composed of both female and male student-athletes charged with the responsibility of assisting in the review of NCAA proposed legislation and representing the voice of the student-athlete in the NCAA governance structure. This is accomplished by providing student-athlete input on issues related to student-athlete welfare that are division-specific. (The Federation has increased student-athlete participation in the governance process of intercollegiate athletics by increasing the number of SAAC members from the former Association-wide committee of 28 student-athletes to a sum total of 79 members serving on the national Divisions I, II, and III committees).
The input of the respective Divisions I, II and III SAACs continues to be sought by a variety of constituencies within the Association. Student-athlete committee members have the opportunity to speak with their respective NCAA Management Councils, and the Divisions II and III SAACs continue to speak to legislative issues on the NCAA Convention floor.
