Thiel College SAAC advisor and student leaders appointed

Posted December 22, 2022 Print

GREENVILLE, Pa.-- Thiel College Director of Athletics Jason Fautas recently announced that men’s head soccer coach Zack Walters will serve as advisor to the athletics department's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

A Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is made up of student-athletes, who seek to provide insight on the student-athlete experience. SAACs exist at the national, conference and institution levels. All NCAA member conferences and schools are required to have SAACs.

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Walters, who recently completed his third season as head coach of Thiel’s men’s soccer team, has assisted with Thiel's SAAC since 2019. During his senior year as an undergraduate student, Walters was the president of Westminster College's SAAC and the Presidents' Athletic Conference's SAAC.

“I’m super excited,” Walters said of the opportunity to advise Thiel’s SAAC. “There are a lot of student-athletes with great ideas and initiative, and I’m looking forward to giving them direction so they can take ownership of their journey.”

Thiel's 2022-23 SAAC officers include:

President: Jade Rhoads ’23, of Franklin, Pa., is a neuroscience and psychology double major and a 2019 Maplewood High School graduate.
Vice President: Toby Atwood ’26, of Kittanning, Pa., is an elementary and special education major and a 2022 Armstrong Junior-Senior High School graduate.
Treasurer: Payton Blankenbeckley ’24, of Portsmouth, Ohio, is a psychology major and a 2020 Minsford High School graduate.
Secretary: Alaina Harpst ’25, of Greenville, Pa., is a nursing major and a 2021 Greenville High School graduate.
SGA Representative: Kylee Yothers ’23, of Indian Head, Pa., is a psychology, sociology and criminal justice triple major and a 2019 Connellsville High School graduate.