GREENVILLE, Pa. – Thiel College Director of Athletics Jason Fautas recently announced that men's head soccer coach Zack Walters will serve as advisor to the athletics department's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).
A Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is made up of student-athletes, who seek to provide insight on the student-athlete experience. SAACs exist at the national, conference and institution levels. All NCAA member conferences and schools are required to have SAACs.
Walters, who recently completed his third season as head coach of Thiel's men's soccer team, has assisted with Thiel's SAAC since 2019. During his senior year as an undergraduate student, Walters was the president of Westminster College's SAAC and the Presidents' Athletic Conference's SAAC.
"I'm super excited," Walters said of the opportunity to advise Thiel's SAAC. "There are a lot of student-athletes with great ideas and initiative, and I'm looking forward to giving them direction so they can take ownership of their journey."
The primary purposes of a SAAC are to generate a student-athlete voice within the conference or institution, review and respond to proposed NCAA legislation and support the conference and campus through community outreach efforts.
Thiel's 2022-23 SAAC officers include:
• President – Jade Rhoads, senior
• Vice President – Toby Atwood, freshman
• Treasurer – Payton Blankenbeckley, junior
• Secretary – Alaina Harpst, sophomore
• SGA Representative – Kylee Yothers, senior
The primary goal for Thiel's SAAC this year is to increase attendance and fan engagement, as well as philanthropic activities. In November, Thiel's SAAC held tailgates for the women's volleyball team, who earned the top seed for the first time in program history and hosting rights throughout the PAC Championship Tournament.
Next semester, Thiel's SAAC will plan activities for Division III Week, which is runs April 10 through April 16. Among other events, the committee will also host the second annual Tommys on April 23, an awards ceremony celebrating institutional academic, as well as team and individual athletic achievement.
