As 2019 comes to a close, SUNY Delhi Athletics looks back on a memorable Fall 2019 semester filled with many new accomplishments, memorable moments, and a traditional passion for excellence that SUNY Delhi has come to know. DONATE and show your support to SUNY Delhi Athletics this holiday season!
The SUNY Delhi Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) made tremendous strides over the course of the fall semester, bolstered by the institution's new membership in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) and the conference's SAAC committee.
The SAAC opened the semester with a "Minute to Win It" themed Pep Rally, pitting student-athletes from each team against each other in a series of games. This included contests such as the three-legged race, pencils grab, office tennis, solo cup paper yank, and the dizzy bat/bottle flip relay race. Men's cross country/track and field won the competition by coming out on top in the grand finale of basketball musical chairs, as hurdler Humphrey Banful sank the game-winning basket. VIEW PHOTO GALLERY
The committee took part in the NCAA's celebration of Diversity and Inclusion Week in October. They joined the association's national social media campaign to provide a platform for student-athletes, administrators, coaches and fans across the country to start the discussion, speak out on, and promote diversity and inclusion as key elements of student-athlete success. The goal of the annual campaign is to engage social media to create a dialogue on diversity and inclusion and to communicate the benefit of inclusive environments to the student-athlete experience. Each day presented a particular theme:
VIEW SUNY DELHI SAAC DIVERSITY & INCLUSION WEEK HOMEPAGE
• Day 1 (Tuesday, Oct. 22): "This is Who We Are": exploring student-athletes' core values and multiple identities.
• Day 2 (Wednesday, Oct. 23): "Broadening Our Horizons": creating connections across campus and highlighting diverse friendships, mentors, and role models.
• Day 3 (Thursday, Oct. 24): "Better Together": showcasing the strengths and diversity of your campus or conference community.
• Day 4 (Friday, Oct. 25): "Taking Action": outlining personal action steps for inclusive excellence.
The SAAC capped off their week of celebration teaming up with Cadi to put on a "Broncos Spirit Night" on Monday, Oct. 30 in conjunction with the women's volleyball team's home match versus Hartwick. A packed crowd came to Floyd L. Maines Arena to cheer on the Broncos. A banner was displayed in the field house lobby for students to sign and pledge their commitment to diversity and inclusion on their way into the game. VIEW PHOTO GALLERY
SAAC President Molly Greene (Softball) and Secretary Erica Prindle (Women's Volleyball) attended the NAC SAAC Retreat in November. SAAC officials from each member institution gathered at the NAC office in Waterville, Me. for a series of collaborative and character-building exercises promoting discussion about the NCAA philosophy. Topics such as modern student-athlete responsibilities, mental health, and sportsmanship were analyzed, with the NAC SAAC's input being passed on to the NCAA SAAC national office.
Throughout the semester, each athletics program devoted a weekend doing a town cleanup of Delhi in collaboration with the SAAC and the O'Connor Center for Community Engagement. These efforts awarded the SAAC and the Athletics Department the O'Connor Center's Community Champion of the Month for October.
SAAC Coordinators Meagan Hillard and Mike Burud would like to thank everyone for their support and assistance in the SAAC's mission this semester. The SAAC encourages everyone to keep an eye out for many more efforts and programs to come this spring.
