Blackburn Leads SLIAC SAAC Challenge
After a year of hiatus, the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has brought back its challenge among Student-Athlete Advisory Committee groups across the conference. The SLIAC/SAAC Challenge began in 2013 and challenges its member institutions during the academic year to provide community service and engagement opportunities for its student-athletes.
Blackburn College leads the conference after the fall season with 3,035 total points. The Beavers student-athletes totaled 133.5 volunteer hours and raised $1,700 during the fall. The volleyball program hosted a Cystic Fibrosis match, raising awareness and donations. In addition, student-athletes volunteered at local youth camps and assisted at the Blackburn College Open House.
Principia College totaled 2,580 points this past fall. The Principia women's tennis team tallied nearly 2,000 of the points for their school, collecting $1,860 for the Crop Hunger Walk. The women's basketball team held a stuffed animal collection drive for Afghan refugees while the men's soccer team participated in assisting the Alton Women's Shelter. The Panther Track and Field and Cross Country program also are involved in ongoing visits to the Pere Marquette Illinois Youth Center.
Webster University currently has 1,850 points after a large collection at the volleyball team's annual Dig Pink match. The Gorlok volleyball team raised $1,000 in donations during this year's event. They also recently spent time decorating for the holidays at the Down Syndrom Association of Greater St. Louis. In addition, the Webster softball team volunteered at the Girls on the Run race and the women's basketball team helped pack meals at a local rotary club.
Fontbonne University has 1,540 points. Members from softball and men's soccer participated in events such as Pedal for the Cause, a non-profit cancer research fundraiser, as well as making and donating tie-blankets to Hope Lodge in St. Louis.
At the end of each school year, the conference recognizes the winner of the SLIAC/SAAC Challenge with an award at its SLIAC Banquet. The award is presented to the institution that went above and beyond in giving back to its community. The challenge tracks activities such as community service projects, collections (food and clothing), and donations. Full criteria are listed below:
The SLIAC SAAC is a committee of student-athletes that serves as a communication link between the conference member student-athletes and the athletics administration of the SLIAC member institutions. SAAC members are expected to represent the viewpoints of student-athletes on their respective campuses and to serve as a vital communication link between the Conference and its student-athletes.
SAAC members also look to enhance the image of student-athletes both on campus and in the community through engaging in campus and community service projects and to serve as positive role models for their peers and younger athletes. The committee also serves as a voice for issues that involve rules, regulations, and policies that affect student-athletes.
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