BOSTON, Mass. – Sharks volleyball sophomore Nafeesa Connolly (Natick, Mass.) was named to the NCAA Division III National Student Athlete Advisory Committee last week, where she will represent the Great Northeast Athletic Conference and Simmons College through May of 2014. The appointment to the National Committee is a first for Simmons.

The Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) program is three-tiered with a campus-level SAAC at each institution, a conference SAAC, and the National SAAC, which is comprised of 24 members representing the 43 conferences and independent institutions within Division III.

As a National SAAC member, each student-athlete serves as a liaison between the happenings on their campus, their conference and at the national level. Student athletes are selected from a diverse pool of candidates submitted by their conference office and voted on by the Division III SAAC Nominating Committee.

Each member is expected to uphold the mission of SAAC, which is "to enhance the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity for all student-athletes; protecting student-athlete welfare; and fostering a positive student-athlete image, while maintaining the tenants of the Division III philosophy" (ncaa.org)

Connolly will attend National SAAC meetings to address student-athlete feedback and issues, represent the student-athlete voice in the NCAA governance structure, and serve on project teams to further Division III business. She will remain a member of the Simmons Campus SAAC and be a valuable resource for the Athletic Department. "This is a prestigious appointment and I'm thrilled to have Nafeesa represent Simmons on the National level," said Simmons Director of Athletics, Ali Kantor.

A Communications and Public Relations Major, minoring in Business, Connolly hopes to broaden her experience in athletics through the appointment to this Committee.

"I love Simmons, and I strongly believe in player conduct within sports; good sportsmanship, fundraising, community service, and leadership have all been important in my life. I want to learn about everything that goes into a well-developed sports program and learn from other student-athletes and their programs. I'm excited to represent Simmons for the first time on the Committee and share what I learn with the Sharks community!"