Baysinger Appointed Chair of NCAA Division I SAAC
Jan. 27, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. — University of Kansas Track and Field student-athlete Matt Baysinger was appointed Chair of the Division I National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) during the NCAA Convention January 14 – 17 in Washington, D.C. He takes over as Chair after serving as the Vice-Chair from 2008 – 2009.
The Division I National SAAC consists of one student-athlete from each of the 31 Division I conferences. Members are selected by the current Division I SAAC members from a pool of three nominees from each conference. Each student-athlete serves a two-year term. The Division I SAAC reports directly to the NCAA Division I Leadership and Legislative Councils. During his tenure as Vice Chair, Baysinger was a non-voting member of the Legislative Council, and offered input and assistance in shaping the legislation by which NCAA institutions are governed. In his new position as Chair, he will offer student-athlete input to the Leadership Council to ensure that the NCAA continues to promote student-athlete well-being.
“I am very grateful to have the opportunity to continue serving all 160,000 Division I student-athletes in my new role as Chair,” said Baysinger, a track and field student-athlete from Overland Park, Kan. “It is an exciting time to be a student-athlete in the NCAA. With the new NCAA governance structure, we have a louder voice than ever before. The National SAAC has made great strides in promoting student-athlete well-being in recent years, and we don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.”
As a two-time captain on the men’s track and field team, Baysinger has been a leader on campus throughout his KU career. Matt’s ability to handle a rigorous course load while pursuing audacious goals with SAAC was evident during the Spring 2006 semester. Matt, along with other SAAC leaders, led the effort to convince students to pass a student ballot referendum to increase student fees to provide additional support for KU’s women’s and non-revenue athletics teams. The referendum passed with more than 60% of the vote, and made national news among SAAC groups across the country. Baysinger also served as the Chair of the Big 12 Conference SAAC from 2007 – 2008. During this time, he helped lead an effort to strengthen the relationship between the student-athletes of the Big 12 Conference, and Special Olympics programs throughout Big 12 territory.
Baysinger was appointed the Big 12 Conference’s representative to the NCAA SAAC in July 2007.
“Matt will do an outstanding job in this leadership role,” Kansas Athletics Director Lew Perkins said. “He has played a pivotal role in helping the Jayhawk SAAC become a dynamic and influential group on campus, and now he is using his talents to help student-athletes on a national scale. We’re very proud of him.”
Matt Baysinger Leadership Roles
2006 – Present – Jayhawk SAAC Executive Board
2006-07 – Vice Chair of Big 12 Conference SAAC
2007-08 – Chair of Big 12 Conference SAAC, Division I National SAAC member, NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests committee member
2008-09 – Vice Chair of Division I National SAAC, Management Council member, Legislative Council member
2009-10 – Chair of NCAA Division I National SAAC, Leadership Council member
Jayhawk SAAC is a committee comprised of student-athlete representatives from all 18 KU Athletic teams. The purpose of SAAC is to provide student-athletes the opportunity to communicate more effectively with University of Kansas athletics administration, coaches and staff. It enables student-athletes to provide recommendations for the improvement of academic, athletic and social experiences. The committee encourages unity, common purpose and camaraderie among teams and all student-athletes. It also encourages community involvement through service projects and fundraisers.
