Conte Reflects on Opportunity to Represent UNC Asheville and Big South at National SAAC Meeting

INDIANAPOLIS – This past summer, UNC Asheville women's swimmer Elizabeth Conte represented UNC Asheville and the Big South Conference at the NCAA National SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) meeting at the NCAA headquarters.

UNC Asheville recently sat down with the senior swimmer to talk about the national SAAC, what it means to be chosen as one of 32 student-athletes nationally to be on this committee and how she along with other national SAAC members can affect the landscape of Division I NCAA athletics.
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What is national SAAC?

Conte: "It is the governing student-athlete body that comes together three to four times a year typically in Indianapolis. We discuss current legislation that is passed by the NCAA in regards to student-athlete experiences in the NCAA as well as pertinent issues across the NCAA. Every Division I conference (32 conferences) has one representative that is sent there to represent the conference."

What are some issues discussed at these meetings?

Conte: "One of the big pieces that we have been talking about lately is the transfer database that was just implemented recently. We (National SAAC) feel it is important for all student-athletes to understand the gravity of what it is and how it can affect them during their time in college if they do decide to transfer.

"Another thing we have been talking about is early recruiting and how the date was changed.

"I think the most important thing around all of these issues is we just want to make sure all NCAA student-athletes are educated with the correct information. As the national committee, we just want to make sure all student-athletes have the appropriate resources that are easily accessible. This year the national SAAC is creating a lot of informational pamphlets that will go to all universities. These pamphlets cover information like transferring, gambling and other important topics in college sports."

19921 A lot of these topics really affect Power Five schools, so how does this affect the non-Power Five conferences like the Big South and its member institutions like UNC Asheville?

Conte: "I think it is really important that smaller schools are being represented at big-scaled meetings like this. There are some topics that are discussed that don't affect smaller schools like UNC Asheville so having a voice allows for a fair and level playing field across all levels.

"After going to all of these meetings and receiving information, I bring back this knowledge to the Big South and student-athletes to make sure that every new legislation that is passed is clear to everyone involved.

"The biggest part of this committee is to offer opinions on legislation that is ultimately being passed by the NCAA. We (National SAAC) give our opinions at these meetings, so it is important that student-athletes at UNC Asheville and the entire Big South voice their concerns and questions to me so that way I can bring these questions to these meetings."

Taking a step away from what was discussed, were you star-struck going to your very first national SAAC meeting?

Conte: "I actually was. That was the first time I have ever been to the headquarters in Indianapolis, so just walking the path of previous members of the national SAAC is humbling. It really hit me there that I was one of 32 members across the entire NCAA Division I level to be on this committee.

"It was honestly really cool. There are a lot of new members this year, so it was fun to meet all of these people because we all have the same goal of trying to represent our school and conference.

"You get to make connections that you wouldn't think you would ever make. For example there was a member on the committee that grew up in Asheville but was representing a conference based out of Louisiana."

What was the itinerary at your first meeting?

Conte: "I was in Indianapolis for three days. We get there the day before our meetings started, and that night we got together as student-athletes to have dinner and get to know each other.

"The first day starts really early and will typically end around 6 or 7 p.m. that day. The biggest thing on the first day was to update everyone on what was going on in all sports across all sub-committees. We also have staff from the NCAA come in to talk to us throughout the day. They will come in and talk to us about the logistics of a lot of hot topics across the NCAA.

"One of the most interesting parts was having the Chief Investigator come and talk to us about topics that don't normally get talked about often. As a whole, we (the National SAAC) hear the good, the bad and the ugly at these meetings."

In the scheme of the National SAAC, how much say does this group have on big topics?

Conte: "This group makes a big impact. The NCAA Division I counsel, which makes all of the decisions at that level, listens to what we have to say. They constantly ask for our opinions on a lot of topics. When we talk about topics in these meetings, it is reported to this counsel. That group wants to hear the opinion of student-athletes directly because it values that direct feedback."

When is the next National SAAC meeting?

Conte: "The next meeting will be at the end of this month (September). Then the NCAA Convention will be in January, so those are the next two big meetings coming up."

Aside from meeting with SAAC representatives at UNC Asheville, how are you able to hear the voices from other schools in the Big South Conference?

Conte: "I went Hilton Head, N.C. this summer to attend the Big South Conference meetings. This was a time where all of the Big South schools could come together and have important meetings about the previous season and how to improve on the next. My role there was to report what the National SAAC and NCAA was deliberating on during the national meetings. This helps all schools within the Big South understand what is being said, so every program can prepare for the new changes coming from the NCAA.

"Overall, it was really cool to meet all of the athletic directors, senior woman administrators and presidents from different schools in the Big South. Every person I spoke to at the Big South meetings seemed appreciative of what I was doing on the national level, and it felt like they valued my input on important topics.

"The biggest eye-opening experience I took away from there was sitting in the meeting with all of the Big South schools that had its athletic directors and presidents along with other important people in the athletic department. There I saw how male dominated college athletics actually is. It was eye-opening in a sense of it made me want to reconsider my path in the future because there needs to be more females in college athletics from athletic directors to assistant athletic directors and even coaches. I always wanted to study law, but after going to these meetings in Hilton Head and Indianapolis, it has really opened my eyes to new possibilities in my future."

To learn more about the UNC Asheville SAAC, please visit HERE. You can also learn more about UNC Asheville swimming & diving by visiting HERE.