SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Rising senior and soccer representative Elizabeth Barger was elected as president of the St. Francis Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for the 2023-24 school year, while softball rep Natalie Vigil and track & field rep Caitlin Hafenstein were chosen as vice president and secretary, respectively, announced outgoing SAAC president Teaghan Brostrom.
The three officers were chosen by a vote of the 2021-22 SAAC membership.
Barger, Hafenstein and Vigil are three of seven returning SAAC reps for the upcoming school year, along with Alexis DeAngelis (swimming), Grace Dunham (cross country), Piper Sherburne (at large) and Mila Stojakovic (volleyball). Additionally, the former position DEI officer will now be expanded to three DEI representatives on SAAC. Kenna DeLemos served as the inaugural DEI officer in 2021-22, then Jaiden Jackson held that post in 2022-23.
The 2022-23 SAAC included eight seniors: Brostrom (at large), Olivia Mlikotin (at large), Jaiden Jackson (diving), Abby Gillum (lacrosse), Emily Dusel (basketball), Sophia Edwards (golf), Chloe Garcia (tennis) and Ava Stimson (water polo). Thus, slots for representatives for their sports, the three new DEI officers, plus two of the three at-large positions are now available.
Nominations for the open positions will begin soon, with details and instructions on how students may apply being sent to athletes and their families via FinalForms. The 2023-24 SAAC roster is expected to be completed and announced by the end of May.
Although a required practice for an NCAA-member collegiate athletics department, the existence of a SAAC at a high school is relatively rare. The group provides a direct link between the 12 St. Francis teams and the athletics administration, and further serves as an organizing body for the athletics department for campus events and community outreach efforts. For example, the 2022-23 SAAC orchestrated a drive for donated athletics equipment for underprivileged youth in Sacramento.
