Chambana Sun

Two Illinois student-athletes, Abby Lynch and Adalia McKenzie, participated in the 2024 Big Ten Spring Student-Athlete Advisory Committee meeting held on April 10 in Rosemont, Illinois. This event brought together student-athletes from all current and incoming member institutions of the Big Ten Conference.

Lynch, a junior involved in both soccer and women's track and field, serves as Illinois' SAAC vice president. She expressed that attending the conference-wide meeting provided valuable insights into her role. "It's always a great opportunity to represent Illinois on the Big Ten stage athletically, but to do it through SAAC and social impact felt extra special," she stated.

The meeting offered updates on NCAA policies, Big Ten Conference governance, and issues affecting college athletics. It allowed participants to discuss topics such as mental health, diversity, equity, inclusion, name-image-likeness policies, and community impact.

McKenzie represents Fighting Illini Women's Basketball and is active in the Illini's Diversity and Inclusion SAAC subcommittee. Her involvement made her an ideal representative at the meeting. "To be selected to go to the meeting was an honor," McKenzie said. She emphasized the importance of leadership opportunities for personal growth.

The biannual meetings aim to ensure student-athlete voices are considered in decision-making processes at both conference and national levels. Lynch highlighted this aspect by stating: "My biggest takeaway was that the Big Ten Conference is working really hard to take student-athlete voices into account when they are making decisions concerning student-athlete development and experience."

Both Lynch and McKenzie returned from the meeting with a renewed commitment to their roles within their university's athletic community. They plan to share their experiences with peers to foster greater understanding of how changes in college athletics affect them.

In addition to Lynch and McKenzie's participation this spring, Illinois also sent three other athletes—Anna Kurzydlo (Swim and Dive), Kelly Ryono (Softball), Mackenzie Schuler (Soccer)—to a similar meeting last fall.

SAAC meetings provide platforms for student-athletes to express concerns while developing leadership skills crucial for personal growth within collegiate sports environments.