University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Conte Relishes Opportunity to Learn and Represent UNC Asheville Athletics
11.17.2017 | General, Women's Swimming & Diving
CHICAGO – She did not know what to expect.
Elizabeth Conte may have been a little tentative before her arrival, but after the National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) meeting in late October she would not have traded the experience for anything.
"When I got there it was nice to see that it was just other student-athletes just like me and the adults that are there are looking to hear the voice of the athletes," Conte said. "They really want to hear what you have to say. The environment was very comfortable and very encouraging and supportive. It was still a little bit overwhelming sitting in meetings from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., but I learned a ton and I think it's going to help athletes a lot all over the country, but even more specifically our athletes here."
The National SAAC meetings were held in Chicago and as part of the experience Conte even had the opportunity to see the Big Ten Conference Center in Rosemont, Ill.
"To get this opportunity was a great experience," Conte said. "I definitely met a lot of different people from a lot of different conferences – bigger, smaller, mid-major schools – and they were all very welcoming and nice. It was also very nice to meet some of the NCAA staff and know a little bit more about what they do to help our athletes and make our experience at whatever university or college that we go to the best it possibly can be."
The junior swimming student-athlete at UNC Asheville is currently the Secretary/Treasurer for the UNC Asheville SAAC and she also knows she will be able to better serve in this position due to attending the conference.
"I guess I did not realize how many parts are actually in the NCAA," Conte said. "I knew that there were a lot of moving parts, but in that meeting it just opened up a whole new view of how much the NCAA actually does and how many people are involved in making our experience what it is today."
The best part for Conte is that the national meeting has led to strong networking and even new friendships.
"We are all kind of in a group chat where I have been talking to a bunch of people that I first met when I got there," Conte said. "I think that was the thing that I enjoyed the most was hearing their perspective and then sharing my perspective and us having a mutual understanding of while we may be at different-sized schools the legislation or laws that we were talking about are going to apply to everyone."
To learn more about the UNC Asheville SAAC, please visit HERE. You can learn more about UNC Asheville swimming by visiting HERE.
Elizabeth Conte may have been a little tentative before her arrival, but after the National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) meeting in late October she would not have traded the experience for anything.
"When I got there it was nice to see that it was just other student-athletes just like me and the adults that are there are looking to hear the voice of the athletes," Conte said. "They really want to hear what you have to say. The environment was very comfortable and very encouraging and supportive. It was still a little bit overwhelming sitting in meetings from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., but I learned a ton and I think it's going to help athletes a lot all over the country, but even more specifically our athletes here."
The National SAAC meetings were held in Chicago and as part of the experience Conte even had the opportunity to see the Big Ten Conference Center in Rosemont, Ill.
"To get this opportunity was a great experience," Conte said. "I definitely met a lot of different people from a lot of different conferences – bigger, smaller, mid-major schools – and they were all very welcoming and nice. It was also very nice to meet some of the NCAA staff and know a little bit more about what they do to help our athletes and make our experience at whatever university or college that we go to the best it possibly can be."
The junior swimming student-athlete at UNC Asheville is currently the Secretary/Treasurer for the UNC Asheville SAAC and she also knows she will be able to better serve in this position due to attending the conference.
"I guess I did not realize how many parts are actually in the NCAA," Conte said. "I knew that there were a lot of moving parts, but in that meeting it just opened up a whole new view of how much the NCAA actually does and how many people are involved in making our experience what it is today."
The best part for Conte is that the national meeting has led to strong networking and even new friendships.
"We are all kind of in a group chat where I have been talking to a bunch of people that I first met when I got there," Conte said. "I think that was the thing that I enjoyed the most was hearing their perspective and then sharing my perspective and us having a mutual understanding of while we may be at different-sized schools the legislation or laws that we were talking about are going to apply to everyone."
To learn more about the UNC Asheville SAAC, please visit HERE. You can learn more about UNC Asheville swimming by visiting HERE.
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