FARMINGTON, Utah (Sept. 23, 2026) – The Big Sky Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Executive Board is ready to ‘Turn Voice Into Action’ with the launch of the group’s theme for the 2026-27 academic calendar.
ACT (Advocate, Connect, Transform) will be the approach for the board moving forward, which is comprised of the following members…
2026-27 SAAC Executive Board
President – Anna Jardin, Portland State Softball
Vice President of Communications – Kendall McGuire, Southern Utah Gymnastics
Vice President of Competition – Ronan Gallagher, Northern Arizona Women’s Track & Field
Co-Manager – Amelia Ward, Idaho Women’s Swimming & Diving
Co-Manager – Tanner Crosland, Southern Utah Men’s Track & Field
National SAAC Representative – Amanda Caswell, Weber State Soccer
“The group thought about what our goals were for this year and we narrowed it down to three words that resonated the most,” Big Sky SAAC President Jardin said about the initiative. “ACT stands for Advocate, Connect, Transform. We wanted something that clearly represented what SAAC is supposed to do: advocate for student-athletes, connect people and schools across the conference, and transform those conversations into meaningful action.”
“Our theme, ‘Turn Voice Into ACTion’ really came from wanting SAAC to be more than just meetings and conversations,” Jardin continued. “We want student-athlete to share what they are doing on their campuses, what works for them, and build a community where we can learn from one another. The goal is to bring what we learn back to our own institutions to continue growing. We want to learn from other presenters that come to our meetings and create a sense of competition in our community engagement.”
The Big Sky SAAC Executive Board was voted on as part of Big Sky Kickoff Weekend in Spokane, Washington, where the group met in-person for both professional development and to plan for the upcoming year.
“One of my biggest goals this year is just making Big Sky SAAC feel more connected and purposeful,” Jardin said. “We have student-athletes from so many different schools and sports, and I think there’s a lot we can accomplish when we communicate well and work together.”
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