Omaha, Neb. -- Junior Rachael Saunders is one of 32 athletes selected to represent their respective school and conference on the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Student-Athlete Engagement Group.
The group will serve as an amplifying voice for women's basketball on key initiatives, legislation and various issues.
"It's an honor to be selected to represent the Big East and I hope to advocate for our players and coaches to the best of my ability," said Saunders. "In the short term, we are planning to ensure a safe and competitive season. In the long term, this group is really talented and I believe that we can make enact positive change in our respective leagues and NCAA women's basketball as a whole."
The group, which was formed in collaboration with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), is the first of its kind at the NCAA and will have a direct connection to the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and will also serve as a conduit of information from and to the WBCA.
The group consists of current NCAA Division I women's basketball student-athletes from all 32 conferences who were nominated through the WBCA NCAA Division I Conference Captains program that includes a head coach or "captain" in each conference with whom the WBCA communicates regularly on important issues. Each captain submitted the name of a player from their team or conference who they believed would be a good representative for all women's basketball players in their conference. The term of service for each student-athlete will coincide with athletics eligibility for competition.
In addition, the two women's basketball student-athlete representatives who serve on the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Oversight Committee, Zipporah (Zippy) Broughton of Rutgers and Liz Wood of Chattanooga, will also serve as ex officio members. The group will meet monthly via tele/video conference.
"This is such an important time for us to provide a forum for women's basketball student-athletes across the country to talk to one another and for us to listen," said Lynn Holzman, vice president of women's basketball at the NCAA. "In support of women's basketball strategic plan, we will listen to what is important and happening with our student-athletes, and we will listen to their advice about the ongoing growth and development of our sport."
"We see the engagement group as beneficial to student-athletes, coaches and the decision-makers who govern the sport," said Danielle Donehew, executive director of the WBCA. "The student-athletes who play our game will now have the opportunity to share their perspectives on the many issues that affect them and the sport, particularly in these trying times. The coaches, the Women's Basketball Oversight Committee, the national Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the Division I Council, meanwhile, will have the benefit of hearing those perspectives from women's basketball players across all of Division I. This new line of communication can only make our game stronger. We have a wonderfully diverse group of 32 young women who will represent their peers well."
Assisting with the group are NCAA staff liaisons Kelsey Gurganus (research), Sherika Montgomery (enforcement), Ta'Shia Phillips (academic and membership affairs) and Alyssa Rice (women's basketball). All the liaisons are former Division I women's basketball student-athletes.
NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Engagement Group — 2020-21 Roster
| Conference |
Student-Athlete |
Eligibility Year |
School |
| America East Conference |
Jordan McLemore |
Junior |
Hartford |
| American Athletic Conference |
Seraphine Bastin |
Junior |
Wichita St. |
| Atlantic 10 Conference |
Livija (Livy) Kaktaite |
Junior |
George Mason |
| Atlantic Coast Conference |
Mikayla Hayes |
Junior |
Clemson |
| Atlantic Sun Conference |
Alexis Pierce |
Senior |
Jacksonville |
| Big 12 Conference |
Madison Williams |
Junior |
Oklahoma |
| Big East Conference |
Rachael Saunders |
Junior |
Creighton |
| Big Sky Conference |
Daylani Ballena |
Freshman |
Southern Utah |
| Big South Conference |
Lauren McNamara-Clement |
Senior |
Campbell |
| Big Ten Conference |
Lauryn Satterwhite |
Junior |
Northwestern |
| Big West Conference |
Danae Miller |
Senior |
UC Santa Barbara |
| Colonial Athletic Association |
Ty Battle |
Junior |
Delaware |
| Conference USA |
Raizel Guinto |
Senior |
Louisiana Tech |
| Horizon League |
Maxine Moore |
Junior |
Detroit Mercy |
| Ivy League |
Christina DiCindio |
Senior |
Penn |
| Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference |
Emily LaPointe |
Sophomore |
Manhattan |
| Mid-American Conference |
Paulina Castro |
Senior |
Northern Ill. |
| Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference |
Amanda Carney |
Senior |
UMES |
| Missouri Valley Conference |
Alyssa Robben |
Senior |
Indiana St. |
| Mountain West Conference |
Brooke Walling |
Sophomore |
Fresno St. |
| Northeast Conference |
Adrianne Hagood |
Senior |
Sacred Heart |
| Ohio Valley Conference |
Taelour Pruitt |
Junior |
Southeast Mo. St. |
| Pac-12 Conference |
Aubrey Knight |
Junior |
Colorado |
| Patriot League |
Katlyn Ghavidel |
Junior |
Colgate |
| Southeastern Conference |
Shakira Austin |
Junior |
Ole Miss |
| Southern Conference |
Aja Boyd |
Senior |
UNC Greensboro |
| Southland Conference |
Anna Maguire |
Junior |
Houston Baptist |
| Southwestern Athletic Conference |
Armani Smith |
Junior |
Alabama St. |
| Summit League |
Kennedy Flanagan |
Sophomore |
Western Ill. |
| Sun Belt Conference |
Lauryn Thompson |
Junior |
Texas St. |
| West Coast Conference |
Sydney Hunter |
Senior |
San Diego |
| Western Athletic Conference |
Caitlyn Harper |
Sophomore |
California Baptist |