The University of Arizona Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (S.A.A.C.) has selected senior golfer Kolton Lapa, and redshirt senior gymnast Danielle Buchanan as their representatives for the upcoming Pac-12 S.A.A.C. conference. The pair will travel to San Francisco on Nov. 5th to attend various meetings, participate in community service and visit the Pac-12 offices.
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is a forum for Pac-12 student-athlete leaders to promote camaraderie and cooperation among the different campuses, while fostering a sense of conference unity and pride.
"I am very humbled and blessed to be going to San Francisco, representing the University of Arizona,” noted senior golfer Kolton Lapa. “The student athlete-advisory committee is a program that I've wanted to be a part of since freshman year and it has been a lot of fun. This trip will be a new experience for me and I'm looking forward to representing the University of Arizona at the Pac-12 meetings for SAAC. This is my senior year and I have made it a goal of mine to get involved with the community and athletics as much as I can.
"Our presidents Bonnie Brandon and Casey Skowron have done a great job with the members of SAAC this year and I'm excited to continue to stay involved as much as I can going forward."
The group is composed of two student-athletes (one male, one female) from each member institution who are chosen by their administrators to represent their campuses. These representatives also serve on their campus S.A.A.C.'s.
“As 2015 Arizona SAAC, we are a close-knit, motivated group and any member would be a great representative of our school; so, I am very honored to be chosen to represent Arizona at this conference," Buchanan said. "I look forward to contributing anything I can at the conference and bringing back information that we can use as a group to continue enhancing the student-athlete experience at Arizona. It is such an awesome experience to make connections and learn about what other schools are doing to improve the student-athlete experience. This type of student-athlete collaboration, on a conference level, does not happen often and I am grateful to be given this opportunity.”
Each semester, Pac-12 the S.A.A.C. student-athletes participate in a group community service project focusing on inclusion and opportunity. In spring of 2014, the group spent time volunteering at a Special Olympics Northern California aquatic competition. In fall of 2014, the group went to the Willie Mays Boys & Girls Club at Hunters Point to help revamp a baseball diamond, paint a gym and speak to the club members about their experiences as student-athletes.
To follow Lapa and Buchanan's experience in San Francisco on Nov. 5, follow Arizona Men's Golf on Twitter at @UAWildcatsGolf and Arizona Gymnastics at @AZGymnastics.
