Nov. 2, 2011
RICHMOND, VA (November 2, 2011) - Brian Bashara will join other Colonial Athletic Association student-athletes and advisors scheduled to gather for the league's 2011 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Leadership Summit. The event will be held November 6-7 and is hosted by the College of William and Mary.
One male and one female student-athlete leader from each member institution will attend the summit, along with 12 Campus SAAC advisors and the CAA National SAAC Representative, Jessica Williams. Also joining the discussion will be CAA Commissioner Thomas Yeager, CAA Senior Associate Commissioner Kathleen Batterson, and CAA Compliance and Administration Intern Vincent Pierson.
The first day of the summit will be held near the William & Mary campus at the Williamsburg Hospitality House. After an introduction period, Leslie Barnes, Assistant Director of Athletics for Student-Athlete Welfare at Duke, will facilitate the DiSC session, which is a model of human behavior that helps people understand "why they do what they do". The William & Mary Alumni House will play host to an evening session by CRONS representatives Sotiris Aggelou and Anthony Griggs, as they present the CRONS Achievers Program designed to guide participants through the goal setting, tracking, and achievement process.
The final day of the event will be held in the Berkeley room of the Williamsburg Hospitality House. The student-athletes and advisors will discuss "Hot Topic" issues with the group. The attendees will also be challenged to come up with ideas to help enhance the "student-athlete experience". Areas that will be focused on include student-athlete welfare issues, the new student-athlete website "WeAreTheCAA.com", recognizing academic & athletic achievements, social media, and other issues. Commissioner Yeager, who is in his 27th year at the helm of the CAA, will solicit input from CAA student-athletes on issues that affect them and hear their ideas about ways to enhance the student-athlete experience. The summit will conclude with a plan to implement best practices that are learned and developed over the weekend.
SAAC LEADERSHIP SUMMIT PARTICIPANTSNick Ferdinand, Delaware - BaseballLauren Kanaskie, Delaware - RowingEmily Kane, Drexel - Women's LacrosseGarth Mahosky, Drexel - WrestlingMichael Foley, George Mason - Men's Track & FieldEmily Lafferty, George Mason - SoftballDaniel Blaustein, Georgia State - BaseballMcCall Langford, Georgia State - SoftballCourtney Crews, Hofstra - SoftballJason Sinkoff, Hofstra - Men's TennisChad Byers, James Madison - FootballLeah DeMasters, James Madison - Women's TennisErin Brennan, UNCW - Women's Cross Country & TrackStefan Brewer, UNCW - Men's GolfLaura Coyne, Northeastern - Women's Cross Country & TrackMike Murphy, Northeastern - BaseballBrian Bashara, Old Dominion - BaseballConnie Farmer, Old Dominion - Women's GolfIan Mills, Towson - Men's LacrosseShianna Smith, Towson - Women's Track & FieldAndrew Shipp, VCU - Men's Track & FieldJessica Williams, VCU - Women's Track & FieldLiza McDevitt, William & Mary - Women's SwimmingAndy Topping, William & Mary - Football