SAAC Student Athlete Advisory Committee

Keep up with Hartwick SAAC and Athletics on Social Media!
SAAC Instagram - @Hartwick_SAAC
Athletics Instagram - @hartwickhawks

PRESIDENT	VICE PRESIDENT	SECRETARY	TREASURER	EVENT COORDINATOR	INSTAGRAM COORDINATOR	INSTAGRAM COORDINATOR

Shelby Swartz - Women's Volleyball	Ashley Luppens - Field Hockey	Krissy Vaccarelli - Women's Lacrosse	Colleen Marsh - Women's Tennis	Kyle Trinkle - Football	Jess Waldmann - Women's Tennis	Jess Betts - Field Hockey

What is the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and our mission?

The purpose of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is to be a representative body for the student-athlete voice at Hartwick College. SAAC and its member representatives will serve as a liaison between the student-athletes, the athletic department and the rest of the Hartwick College and greater Oneonta community. SAAC’s primary mission is to support, organize and lead the campus and community through coordinated events, projects and outreach efforts that positively support the student-athlete image and promote a sense of community within the athletics program.

SAAC Membership is voluntary or coach appointed. Members must be in academic eligibility and on a sports team at Hartwick.

History of the NCAA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
An NCAA-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 composed of student-athletes from all membership divisions for the purpose of ensuring 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, causing the SAAC to expand to three separate 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. (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.

Previous SAAC Executive Boards:

2023-2024 SAAC Officers:
President: Abbi McCleary, Women's Soccer
Vice President: Shelby Swartz, Women's Volleyball
Secretary: Kristen Vaccarelli, Women's Lacrosse
Treasurer: Colleen Marsh, Women's Tennis
Social Media Coordinators: Libby Fortin, Field Hockey, Jessica Waldmann, Women's Tennis
Event Coordinator: Mikey Schultz, Men's Swimming and Diving

2022-2023 SAAC Officers:
President: Bryan Grimes, Football
Vice President: Chrissy Boeltz, Field Hockey
Secretary: Kirsten Aroksaar, Women's Lacrosse
Treasurer: Kristen Vaccarelli, Women's Lacrosse
Social Media Coordinator: Leah Tolley, Field Hockey
Event Coordinator: Mikey Schultz, Men's Swimming and Diving

2021-2022 SAAC Officers:
President: Sean Waltman, Men's Cross-Country/Track and Field
Vice President: Vacant
Secretary: Kelsey Mahoney, Women's Lacrosse
Treasurer: Vacant
Social Media and Event Coordinators: Michaela Parker, Field Hockey / Chrissy Boeltz, Field Hockey

2020-2021 SAAC Officers:
President: Katie Boak, Women’s Volleyball
Vice President: Michaela McKernan, Women’s Lacrosse
Secretary: Amy Tracy, Women’s Lacrosse
Treasurer: Diego Espinola, Men’s Soccer
Social Media & Event Coordinator: Amy Tracy, Women’s Lacrosse

2019-2020 SAAC Officers:
President: Amanda Olivo, Women’s Swimming & Diving
Vice President: Gina Grauer, Women’s Swimming & Diving
Secretary: Michaela McKernan, Women’s Lacrosse
Treasurer: Katie Boak, Women’s Volleyball
Social Media & Event Coordinator: Alison Brody, Women’s Cross Country/ Track & Field