Yearly SAAC EVENTS

The Student Athlete Advisory Committee sponsors or participates in several events throughout the year. SAAC works very closely with the planning and execution of many of the Life Skills Programs.

• Adopt-a-Family
• Cats for Cans
• Read to Achieve
• Special Olympics Sports Clinic
• Tipoff for TP
• Volleyball & Baseball Tailgate Parties
• Welcome Back Picnic
  

Wildcat Cup Competition

The 2010-11 academic year marked the inaugural Wildcat Cup Competition pitting teams against one another to compete and earn points within the five Wildcat Pillars of Success: Personal, Academic, Career, Service, and Athletics. Student athletes earn points for their respective teams through their participation and attendance at events within each category. The team that accrues the greatest number of points is announced winner at the Powercat Choice Awards. While the events promote the spirit of competition, the ultimate goal is to encourage student athletes to take advantage of the many resources and programs that are available to them, as well as, inspiring student-athlete camaraderie across all sports.

Wildcat Cup Categories

Personal: earn points by attending various on-campus speakers, speakers provided by the Athletic Department or by attending Life Skills workshops
Academic: students earn points based on placement on Academic All-Big 12 Teams, Commissioner’s Honor Roll, number of students with 4.0 GPA.
Career: earn points by attending Career Cat Workshops, submitting a resume, utilizing Academic and Career Information Center.
Service: earn points by participating in any of the SAAC Service initiatives such as Cats for Cans, Read to Achieve, etc. or students earn points by volunteering and participating in service opportunities on their own.
Athletics: earn points by attending designated Athletes 4 Athletes games. This category encourages student athletes to get out and support their fellow athletes in ALL sports.

Wildcat Cup Winners
2010-11: Women’s Basketball

Powercat Choice Awards

Each spring, the athletic department and Student-Athlete Advisory Committee host a banquet to honor all student athletes from all sports for their hard work and achievements. Student athletes walk the purple carpet, have dinner and then enjoy an ESPY-style awards show celebrating accomplishments in the classroom, in competition and within the community. Student athletes and SAAC nominate and vote athletic award winners while Student Services vote winners of academic awards.

Athletic honors awarded include:
Female and Male Newcomers of the Year, Best Male and Female Athlete in Supporting Role, Purple Pride Award, Most Inspirational Award, Men’s and Women’s Team of the Year, Show-Stopping Moment of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Female and Male Athletes of the Year.

Academic honors awarded include:
Mark A. Chapman Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Bob and Lila Snell Academic Award for Excellence and Effort, Gina Sylvester Memorial Award, Veryl and Fern Switzer Campus Leadership Award, Scholastic Achievement Award; Big 12 Conference and All-America honors are also recognized.

Watch Video: Powercat Choice Awards Purple Carpet

What Does a SAAC Representative Do?

General committee members are assigned the following duties:

1. Attend all SAAC meetings and related events.
   
2. Serve as liaison between the member's respective sport to the committee and the athletic department.
   
3. Serve the needs of fellow student athlete's via leadership and support.
   
4. Enable student-athletes to make meaningful contributions to the community.
   
5. Serve on at least one sub-committee with active involvement.
   
6. Promote high achievement in academics, athletics, personal development and within society.
   
7. Promote the athletic department of all of its various entities.
   
8. Know, understand, and follow the SAAC by-laws.
   
9. Assist in the growth and development of SAAC.
   
10. Assist in the selection and appointment of new members at the end of the academic year.

SAAC Representatives

2011-12 members listed by sport:

Contact Student Services

Student Services for Intercollegiate Athletics
Athletic Learning Center
2201 Kimball Avenue
Manhattan, KS 66502

Office Fax: 785-532-5191
Phone: 785-532-5190