INDIANAPOLIS – Representatives from member institutions in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) recently met in Cincinnati as part of the league’s annual spring meetings.
 
The Great Midwest SAAC was very productive in a short amount of time together, working to accomplish new business and completing multiple community service projects this week.
 
Included was a return trip to Matthew 25 Ministries and continuation of the successful Athletes Collecting Toiletries in Service (A.C.T.S.) program. Totals from the combined efforts in the 2017-18 academic year to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Foundation as a national NCAA Division II initiative were also revealed.
 
With the Indianapolis 500 coming up on Sunday, it was only appropriate that the Great Midwest SAAC brake (pun intended) the ice at Full Throttle Indoor Karting for some competitive racing.
 
Hillsdale football student-athlete Austin Sandusky rose to the top of the awards podium with the victory lap holding a checkered flag as the cars raced around tight turns up to speeds around 40 mph. He raced in two time trials to earn a trip into the final with nine others.
 
Unfortunately, points from his win didn’t go towards the Presidents’ Cup standings, which he and Chargers’ women’s basketball conference champ Allie Dewire helped receive on Tuesday evening for the institution’s banner season as a first-year league member.
 
Great Midwest SAAC president Lauren Yacks (Findlay softball) addressed the Joint Council with some exciting updates about the Make-A-Wish Foundation efforts for 2017-18. Her contributions at the national level as a representative of Division II SAAC helps give the student-athletes a voice on many different legislative items that are voted on at the NCAA Convention.
 
Yacks reported that the Great Midwest SAAC had raised a total of $19,235.37 last year, an impressive figure that ranks within the top 10 (ninth) of the 24 Division II conferences.
 
The culmination of the A.C.T.S project resulted in the group dropping off 15 large boxes of items collected throughout the year at Tender Mercies, a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of homeless adults with mental illness. Rudy Frank, volunteer coordinator, brought a family-borrowed truck to help transfer shampoo, conditioner, and other hotel items from road trips.
 
Frank also expressed thanks to the Great Midwest SAAC for their efforts and outlined the Tender Mercies mission.  
 
At Matthew 25 Ministries, the group sorted and organized through boxes of clothing that will be sent to those in disaster relief areas.
 
The Great Midwest SAAC members were also recognized by conference commissioner Tom Daeger at the spring awards banquet. Davis & Elkins women’s basketball student-athlete Nicole Armstrong was on the stage as the group collectively voted Dr. Jennifer Riggleman as the Great Midwest Faculty Mentor of the Year.
 
In the business meetings, new ideas and suggestions were brought to the table for future Great Midwest events and championships while trading ideas about fundraising on their respective campuses.
 
“Spending two days with the Great Midwest SAAC representatives is always one of the highlights of my year,” said Great Midwest Operations Coordinator/Senior Woman Administrator Natalie Fiorenza. “Witnessing (27) Great Midwest athletes come together to learn and collaborate is extremely rewarding and exciting. Ideas for improving the organization and coordination of SAAC events on campus shared between the student athletes often lights a spark in each individual SAAC representative.”
 
“These representatives then take a new toolbox of ideas back to their respective SAAC groups making for a great start to the upcoming academic year,” she added. “Hearing personal experiences from our student-athletes competing in a wide variety of sports also makes the time spent together worthwhile from a conference perspective. I can take the ideas/thoughts they shared regarding championships and events back to the conference office. Ultimately, the goal of the conference office is to make the student-athlete experience rewarding and memorable here in the Great Midwest."  
 
Also mixed in to the group was men’s soccer student-athlete Luke Neiderhelman and Allie Miller (women’s basketball) from Tiffin University. The Dragons are slated for Great Midwest entry as a full member institution, the league’s 14th school, officially on July 1, 2018.

2018 Great Midwest Spring Meeting Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Attendees
 

Kerbey Gregg	Alderson Broaddus University	Volleyball
Isabella Caperton	Alderson Broaddus University	Acrobatics & Tumbling
Lindsey Bray	Cedarville University	Volleyball
Wade Kyser	Cedarville University	Track & Field
Matt Finn	Davis & Elkins College	Swimming & Diving
Nicole Armstrong	Davis & Elkins College	Women's Basketball
Lauren Yacks	University of Findlay	Softball (SAAC President)
Lauren Hoffman	University of Findlay	Softball
Peter Velasquez	University of Findlay	Swimming & Diving
Austin Sandusky	Hillsdale College	Football
Allie Dewire	Hillsdale College	Women's Basketball
Jacob Stauffer	Kentucky Wesleyan College	Men's Soccer
Madallyn Peveler	Kentucky Wesleyan College	Women's Soccer
Michelle Burke	Lake Erie College	Women's Lacrosse
Harmony Moore	Lake Erie College	Women's Lacrosse
Cody Cook	Malone University	Swimming & Diving
Katie Grimes	Malone University	XC/Track & Field
Jack Casebolt	Ohio Dominican University	Men's Golf
Becca Skidmore	Ohio Dominican University	Volleyball
Micah Boles	Ohio Valley University	Track & Field
Camdyn Starkey	Ohio Valley University	Track & Field
Luke Niederhelman	Tiffin University	Men's Soccer
Allie Miller	Tiffin University	Women's Basketball
Gracie Pierce	Trevecca University	Volleyball
Adi Hale	Trevecca University	Women's Basketball
Sadie Jones	Ursuline College	Softball
Michele Vlacovsky	Walsh University	Women's Golf