Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Board Members are Elected for 2021-22

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Board Members are Elected for 2021-22
April 23, 2021

By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- The Willamette University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Executive Board for the 2021-22 academic year has been elected. The new SAAC Executive Board will have six student-athletes who will lead the SAAC in meetings and projects throughout the year.

Co-presidents in 2021-22 will be Andrew Kibbee (Jr., Kenmore, WA/Bothell HS) from men's golf and Avery Mickelsen (Jr./So., Ephrata, WA/Ephrata HS) from track and field. Catie Kawamura (So., MID, San Diego, CA/San Diego International Studies) from the women's lacrosse team will serve as the secretary. Kelsey Wong (Jr., UT, Honolulu, HI/Punahou School) from softball will be the communications director, and Ryan Johns (Fy., OL, Las Vegas, NV/Liberty HS) from the football team will be the service and philanthropy director. Kiki Fierstos (Jr./So., Redmond, OR/Redmond HS) from the women's golf team was elected to be the at-large member of the SAAC Executive Board.

Mickelsen and Johns also will serve on the NWC SAAC Board in 2021-22. Mickelsen will be the communications director, while Johns will be the initiatives coordinator.

"I am proud and grateful for all of the hard work from our 2020-21 SAAC Executive Board," said Associate AD/Senior Woman Administrator Leslie Shevlin. "They have paved the way for our incoming board to continue to make a positive impact on the student-athlete experience.

"I am looking forward to working with our 2021-22 SAAC Executive Board," Shevlin added. "We have a good mix of returning board members and new board members, representing teams not previously represented. We have yet to sit down and map out goals for next year, but I know this group is passionate about student-athlete connection and moving their anti-racism plan forward."

The Willamette SAAC includes student-athletes from all of Willamette's varsity teams with up to two members per team. SAAC members work together to interact with Willamette University administrators, Bearcat coaches, and Athletics Department administrators, providing important ideas from the perspective of student-athletes. The SAAC offers input on the rules, regulations, and policies that impact student-athletes on campus, as well as throughout the Northwest Conference and the NCAA. Members of SAAC also sponsor and encourage community service and professional development activities for all student-athletes at Willamette.

"I am very excited to serve on the SAAC Executive Board for another year," Mickelsen said. "After serving as the at-large member for this past year, I am grateful for the opportunity to represent Willamette student-athletes again as a co-president. Being on SAAC gives me the opportunity to make a difference and be a voice for student-athletes, and that is something that means a great deal to me.

"It means a lot to me to be serving on the SAAC Exec Board as a co-president for a second year," Kibbee said. "I was very happy with the way SAAC helped our student-athletes battle through COVID, but I am extremely excited to work with our student-athletes during what is shaping up to be a normal year. Serving on the board for my second year, I am striving to continue to be a voice for all student-athletes at Willamette."

It's very early in the process of preparing for 2021-22, but the new SAAC co-presidents have some ideas for projects to work on over the next 12 months.

"The SAAC Executive Board heading into next year is in a very good position to be able to support Willamette student-athletes," Kibbee noted. "While some teams were fortunate enough to compete this year, most teams were unable to play a full 'normal' season. I want the Executive Board to support all of our teams coming back to full-time competition in the best way possible. Whether this comes in the form of SAAC facilitating opportunities for teams to support one another, or something else, SAAC is here to show all of our athletes that the Athletic Department has their back."

"Some of the most important goals for SAAC in this next year are to continue building up our athletic community, supporting our student-athletes through the transition back to what hopefully will be 'normal' competition seasons, and working to build a stronger relationship with ASWU and the greater Willamette community," Mickelsen commented.