Student-athletes get together for LSC SAAC Summer Retreat
More than thirty Lone Star Conference student-athletes and athletic administrators met in Tahlequah, Okla., July 26-28, for the league's fourth annual Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Summer Retreat.
The three-day event, which took place on the Northeastern State University campus, is intended to help improve communication amongst LSC SAAC groups and to help energize student-athletes with ideas and "best practices" to be implemented during the academic year.
"The retreat was a success due to the exceptional student-athletes that participated," said Jay Poerner, LSC assistant commissioner who oversees the conference SAAC efforts. "They shared their perspectives on a variety of important issues, and were able to bond in an enjoyable environment. I'm looking forward to next year's event."
The participants arrived on Sunday and met before having dinner, which was hosted by Dr. Don Betz, President of NSU, at Beta Field.
The retreat continued on Monday with a community service activity and team-building rafting trip on the Illinois River. First, the group joined forces with the Tahlequah Area Habitat for Humanity. They were able to finish the second coat of paint and trim on a Habitat house, which moved the project two weeks ahead of schedule.
The event concluded Tuesday morning with meetings. Topics discussed during the retreat included Make-A-Wish fundraising, community service month, social networks, summer school financial aid, needy student athletic fund, degree completion scholarship program and the LSC SAAC Cup.
The inaugural LSC SAAC Cup was awarded to Tarleton State for their efforts during 2008-09. The purpose of the cup is to encourage participation in conference SAAC initiatives. Tarleton totaled 5,825 points to earn the first-ever cup along with customized t-shirts. Cameron (5,019) and Texas Woman's (4,847) rounded out the top three schools. The award is based on involvement in six categories: LSC SAAC meetings, Campus SAAC meetings, Make-A-Wish, Community Service Month, other community service and the NCAA Legislative grid.
Fourteen of the LSC's 15 member institutions were represented at the meeting, with Abilene Christian's Emery Dudensing serving as chair. Trey Mays, an Angelo State basketball player, serves as the group's vice-chair, while ASU baseball player Christopher Odom represents the LSC on the NCAA Division II National SAAC.
Other student-athlete's who attended the Summer Retreat were ACU's Shawna Hines, ASU's Paige Massingill, Cameron's Callie Schlatter, Central Oklahoma's Meaghan Wedberg, East Central's Sarah Reihart, Eastern New Mexico's Caitlin Murphy, Grace Brandt and Rachelle Holt, Midwestern State's Kiara Jordan, Northeastern State's Jenny Collins and Early Villegas, Southeastern Oklahoma's Will Robinson and Crystal Trussell, Southwestern Oklahoma's Blake Mounce and Krishna Henderson, Tarleton's Warren Webb and Shea McBrearty, Texas A&M-Commerce's Taylor Fore and LaShara Jefferson, Texas A&M-Kingsville's Robert Guzman and Texas Woman's Megan Warren and Jessica Crow.
Also attending as advisors were ASU's Stacy Duffell, CU's Kim Vinson, UCO's Tami Peck, MSU's Kurt Portman, NSU's Matt Cochran, SE's Josh Lamberson, SWOSU's Bo Paglaisotti, Tarleton's Christabell Mariner, A&M-C's Summer Spurlock, TAMUK's Breanne Flores-Contreras and TWU's Lisa Klein.
