SoCon SAAC

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SoCon SAAC Mission Statement

The mission of the Southern Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is to enhance the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity, protecting student-athlete well-being, and fostering positive student-athlete image.

2025-26 Executive Board

Ally Cordes – Chair, Samford University 

Julie Galie – Vice Chair, Furman University  

Salem Ward – Secretary, University of North Carolina at Greensboro 

Gabby Rodriguez – Director of Communications, East Tennessee State University  

2025–26 SoCon SAAC Roster

The Citadel – Jet Galbreath (WRES) and Sadie Grove (WXC/TF) 

East Tennessee State University – Gabriella Rodriguez (WTF) 

Furman University – Caleb Williams (FB), Julie Galie (WSOC), Macy Hitchcock (WTEN)  

Mercer University – Katie Scheck (WGOLF) and Braeden Carlsen (MBB) 

University of North Carolina at Greensboro – Salem Ward (SFB), Ben Salter (MSOC), Elle Burnette (WGOLF), Luke Jenkins (BSB), Spencer Connick (MXC/TF)  

Samford University – Ally Cordes (VB) and Alyssa Tarpley (WBB) 

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga – Ella Grace Dillard (WSOC) and Corina Vale (BVB*) 

Virginia Military Institute – Ray Cmil (WRES), Ryan Vigil (WRES), Stephen Dean (FB), Val Tonnu (SWIM*), Tyrel Dobson (FB) 

Western Carolina University- Emma Soucy (WSOC) and Landey Green (WXC/TF) 

Wofford College – Mia Flor (WBB) and Ben Jordan (MGOLF)

Purpose of SoCon SAAC

The purpose of the organization shall be to protect, foster, and improve the student-athlete well-being by establishing a foundation for developing the SoCon SAAC into a solid organization, while utilizing each other's resources and providing guidance to strengthen SAAC's throughout the Southern Conference. Specifically to:

    1. Be an organization in which individuals serve as a voice for their institution,
    2. Share ideas, network, and develop lasting friendships,
    3. Promote a positive image of student-athletes and address issues and problems,
    4. Create opportunities for unity, change, and rewards, and
    5. Foster communication among all schools in the conference.

Institution SAACs

Each SoCon member institution has its own SAAC, comprised of at least one representative from each SoCon-sponsored team. This committee functions in the following ways:

  • Promote communication between athletics administration and student-athletes
  • Disseminate information
  • Provide feedback and insight into athletics department issues
  • Generate a student-athlete voice within the campus's formation of athletic policies
  • Build a sense of community among all athletic programs and teams
  • Solicit student-athlete responses to conference and NCAA legislation
  • Organize community service efforts
  • Provide student-athlete representation on campus-wide committees
  • Promote a positive image of student-athletes throughout each campus

National SAAC

The Southern Conference participates in the NCAA Division-I SAAC, which consists of one student-athlete from each of the 32 Division-I conferences. Members are selected by the Division-I Management Council from a pool of three nominees from each of the represented conferences. Each student-athlete serves a two-year term. These conference representatives offer input and assist in shaping the proposed legislation for Division-I athletics. The SoCon SAAC representative to the national NCAA SAAC for 2019-20 is Anna Claire Atha.

Click here to go to the NCAA Division I National SAAC Webpage


DI STUDENT-ATHLETES: Check out the official page for Division I SAAC! Navigate through the page and gain a better understanding of what SAAC can do for you and how to make your campus SAAC more efficient.