GLENSIDE - Arcadia University's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) had a productive and impactful semester, making meaningful contributions to both the campus and the surrounding community.
For those who may not be familiar, the mission of Division III SAAC is to enhance the overall student-athlete experience by promoting opportunities, supporting student-athlete welfare, and fostering a positive image of student-athletes on campus and in the community. This year's executive board and SAAC representatives put considerable hard work and dedication into representing their teams and serving in their roles.
This spring, SAAC focused on strengthening the campus community and expanding its impact. SAAC introduced subcommittees to better involve representatives and generate new ideas. One of these ideas was a new ice cream fundraising event featuring SAAC Inclusion Leadership's Matthew Schutz's family business, "What's the Scoop?" In late April, SAAC reps set up an ice cream stand on Haber Green, where people could pay for fresh ice cream or sorbet. The fundraiser was a resounding success, generating nearly $400 dollars and offering folks a space to gather and enjoy a tasty snack as they wrapped up the year.
In addition, SAAC created opportunities for student-athletes to come together and celebrate what it means to be part of Division III. During DIII Week, SAAC highlighted our athletes through social media, shared "Why DIII" stories, and connected with coaches, faculty, and staff through thank-you initiatives.
There was even a "Chalk The Walk" event where people decorated the pathway up towards the Kuch Center with inspirational messages to celebrate the Arcadia student-athlete experience.
One of the highlights of the year was SportsFest with the Glenside Rotary Special Athletes. This event brings together so many of our teams to spend the day playing volleyball, basketball, soccer, swimming, and creating a fun and inclusive environment. It is incredible to see the level of support from student-athletes and the positive impact it had on everyone involved. Dozens of student-athletes volunteered to help this event run as smoothly to provide a positive experience for these athletes, with Arcadia totalling over 200 service hours at the event!
To further strengthen community, SAAC helped host a Pride Game in partnership with women's ice hockey, partnered with multiple teams to celebrate the community and voice of our athletic community in honor of the NCAA Community & Belonging Social Media Campaign, and even helped create a new, limited edition lineup of merch for reps! SAAC also used its platform to uplift the hard work of others, including leading a month-long celebration of our hardworking athletic trainers, and honoring several athletes for superlatives at the end-of-year banquet. Stay tuned for SAAC's 2025-26 moment of the year!
SAAC is incredibly proud of everything it accomplished this year, and the next group of leaders will continue to build on this momentum and further strengthen our student-athlete community. The 2026-27 SAAC E-Board was elected by SAAC reps, and are listed below:
President - Matt Schutz, Men's Track & Field
Vice President - Hannah Sanchez, Women's Volleyball
Secretary - Kylie Beers, Women's Ice Hockey, Women's Golf
Inclusion Leadership - Taylor McCue, Women's Wrestling
Social Media Coordinator - Mackenzie Clark, Field Hockey, Women's Lacrosse
MAC SAAC E-Board Rep - TBD
In addition to the campus E-Board, for the first time in recent history, two Arcadia student-athletes were selected to represent Conference SAAC on the Middle Atlantic Conference's E-Board:
MAC SAAC Vice President - Kylie Beers, Women's Ice Hockey, Women's Golf
MAC SAAC Vice President - Evan Williams, Men's Soccer
#DefendTheCastle
