The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, commonly called SAAC, is a group made up of Tennessee Tech student-athletes assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience, and organize, plan, oversee and participate in community service activities. The committee offers input to the administration and the conference on rules, regulations and policies that affect student-athletes. SAAC encourages and facilitates the opportunities for all of Tech's student-athletes to participate in community service projects to promote a positive image of the athletic department. The committee participates in numerous projects including food, clothing and toy drives to support the community, the Wounded Warrior project, Habitat for Humanity and much more.
This year the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) has decided to start a blog.
The blog will contain the writings of the different student-athletes who represent their specific sports as a SAAC member.
Friday, April 17, 2015
Callen Griffin
Softball - Freshman
Softball SAAC Rep
My experience at Tennessee Tech has been great so far. I was nervous about coming from a small high school to a university of this size and being a student-athlete but my coaches and teammates immediately made me feel right at home. This transition in my life has not been as easy as I had hoped but it has been very rewarding so far. I am so thankful for the opportunity to play softball at Tennessee Tech and for the experiences I have had already. I am excited to see what the future hold for me here at Tennessee Tech University.
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Courtney Fry
Softball - Junior
SAAC President-Elect/OVC SAAC Representative
Choosing a college for me was stressful. I really wanted to play D1 softball but wasn’t putting myself out there. When I am faced with a stressful situation I just try and forget about it and pray one day something magically happens. Well that one-day magically happened when the softball coach from Tech came to Texas and watched me play. I went to the website to check this school out and really liked that they were yellow and purple (lol) and the campus looked very pretty. So I went on a visit… and well next thing I knew my car was packed and I was headed to Tennessee. I had no clue what was going to hit me. From morning weights, class, practice, homework, every single day. The first week of weights I could barely walk and took every elevator I could. I had so much homework and studying to do, I never knew it was possible to do so much in one night. But the things I have learned and the memories I have made from being a student-athlete are a blessing. From managing your time, learning that if you’re on time you're really late, learning how to take 10 minute naps anywhere you can find are amazing (even if you are laying on the ground outside), on your off days of no softball you can get so many things done with so much extra time left. The friends and memories I have made with my softball team, I would never take those back and will forever have amazing memories. The people on campus and the staff that works for the athletic department are great. You can go in there and say you're struggling with a class and need a tutor and you will get an email by the end of the day about a tutor. Anything you need they will help you right away. It’s nice to know that if I ever need anything I can find someone from athletics and they will help me out. I am beyond glad I chose to come to Tennessee Tech to attend school and play softball.
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Taylor Ketchum
Softball - Senior
SAAC Vice President
My experience here at Tech has been amazing! From the opening arms of the University to the family experience of athletics, coming in as a freshmen I was a long ways from home, but not only did my team make me feel like a part of a family so did the entire athletic department. Being a senior I have unfortunately had two shoulder surgeries at my time at Tech, but with the great atmosphere I was able to come back both times. While the support is amazing, softball has taught me many valuable lessons from learning how to time manage school, softball, and keeping up with friends to not being scared of obstacles that life may throw at you. Softball has provided me with many opportunities to travel to places I have never been, but my favorite opportunity was being able to volunteer in the community and get to know some of the people. Tech has become a second home and a place I will be sad to leave in May.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Mitchell Thomas
Men's Golf - Junior
Golf SAAC Rep
I couldn't be happier that I have been able to spend my college years attending Tennessee Tech. Out of high school I honestly did not have the first idea of how college life was going to treat me, but shortly after my arrival in Cookeville I knew it would be one to remember. The entire student athlete family accepted me in open arms and I instantly felt at home.
Over my first 3 years here, I have learned numerous lessons and have encountered situations that I will never forget. Everything from having to wake up for 5:30 a.m workouts to having to play a golf tournament in snow and ice. At the time, these experiences are full of frustration but now looking back at it, I would not have traded them for anything. Time management is also one of most important attributes to have as a student athlete. Being able to keep up with all of your classes while being gone several days a week is a challenge every semester. It is also incredible how close everyone is to their teammates. I have managed to truly build some relationships that will last a lifetime.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Maddi Everts
Women's Golf - Junior
SAAC Secretary
The last four years have been exhausting and frustrating at times but rewarding and empowering at all times. I can’t imagine my college years without golf. I have experienced things I never would have experienced. I have traveled places I would have never seen otherwise. I have met people I will never forget. I’ve learned just as much outside of the classroom as inside. Life is a tricky thing; you have to learn as you go.
Twenty-two things I have learned in my twenty-two years:
- Naps are a precious gift… Seize the moment
- There’s a lot to be said for a drama free life
- Laugh often… Pray more
- Who you’re friends with matters more than you think
- Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize
- Being single in college is a beautiful, freeing thing
- Fear will only hold you back
- Dancing is the best way to burn calories
- Pray bold prayers. You have a bold God
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes
- Don’t fight change. It will happen anyways
- The sum of the little things of life add up to more than the big thing
- Forgive quickly
- Your mom makes a really great best friend
- Passion will always be more important than perfection
- Three putts aren’t the end of the world. But don’t tell your coach
- It’s far too easy to take good relationships, circumstances and family for granted
- Hard work will take you farther than talent ever will
- Broken animal crackers don’t taste the same
- Don’t compare yourself to anyone but Jesus
- Turns out, mom was right…You will have a better day if your bed is made
- Above all else, trust in God
I can’t imagine my college years spent any other way or anywhere else. Tech will always hold a special place in my heart.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Mason Griffin
Men's Golf - Senior
Golf SAAC Rep
The last five years of my life have been spent attending Tennessee Tech as a student athlete. My time here is coming to a close, but the memories and friendships will travel with me wherever my feet take me. I am especially thankful they stumbled to Cookeville, TN in 2010. There are a lot of insider secrets to being successful as a student athlete. Two things especially made things tick during my time at TTU. The first involves opportunities and the second is about a little thing called swagger. So first things first, opportunities look a whole lot like hard work. Waking up early for workouts, participating in class, practicing in horrid weather, and sacrificing sleep to get it all done is no joke. It's hard, it's really hard, but in end i've ended up with more opportunities because of that hard work than I ever would have had if I wouldn't have come to TTU and played golf. Second, swagger isn't about looking good, having swagger is about being thoughtful, generous, and really really smart. TTU athletes have swag and it differentiates us from every other school in the OVC. When we go to school we tend to get told the world is the way that it is and that our job is to attend class, practice, try not to get in trouble, and do our best at conference. But the student athlete experience can be a whole lot broader than that with some dedication and a little dose of swag.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Patrick Prewitt
Football – Senior
Football SAAC Rep
My experience here at TTU has been a great one. When I first stepped on campus four years ago for summer workouts I was accepted. Everybody on the football team was huge and here I was this little freshman, so I felt a little out of place but I could not have been more wrong. Everybody on the team welcomed me with arms wide open and ever since then I felt like I was part of the Tech family.
I just finished my football career and the thing I will miss most is being around all of my teammates. Through my career I have met some life long friends who I can count on and learn from. You’re with the same group of guys everyday for years, they become not just teammates but family. Of course I’ll miss game days and the grind, but above all I will miss my brothers.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Justin Ivory
Football - Junior
Football SAAC Rep
My experience here at Tech has been a really great one. Through playing football here I have made life long friends and learned a lot of life lessons. I have made connections through classmates and hopefully business connections down the road. I think that my freshman year was the best. That was the year we won the Ohio Valley Conference championship for football. When I was chosen for SAAC I felt that it was a great opportunity for me to become the voice of my fellow student- athletes. Over the past 4 years with SAAC I have had many opportunities to help out within the community. I have volunteered with Mustard Seed Ranch and Habitat for Humanity.
Monday, January 5, 2015
Daniel Williamson
Men's Cross Country - Sophomore
Men's Cross Country SAAC Rep
I just finished up my second season of cross country here at Tennessee Tech. The past year and half has given me some of the best friends and memories of my entire life. At my high school I was the only one to ever run cross country so finally getting to be a part of a team was very exciting. I was fortunate enough to come in with a core group of freshman. None of us have very many similarities outside of being runners, and I think that is the reason we are so close today.
The three guys that have been like brothers to me since coming here (Brennan, Wes, and Jordan) are the best friends I have. Waking up at 5 am for track workouts, pounding the roads together at triple digit temperatures as well as sub zero temperatures, and seeing each other stripped down to our core as a person from a ridiculous workout is what has made our bond so strong. We celebrate like no other when one of us has a major accomplishment and come together like a family when one of us is suffering. Whether these highs and lows come from running or more importantly outside of running we are there to support each other 'til the end. Yeah we like to joke around with each other but there hasn't been a single moment in the past year and a half that any of us have had a real argument, and I think that is near impossible to find with any family. These guys have taught me so many things about life and about myself, I'm not sure if i could have made it this far without them.
I don't know how Wes, Big J, Brennan, and me got the opportunity to cross paths, but I will be forever thankful for it. Because of them my experience at Tech has been one I will cherish for the rest of my life.
Tuesday, December 1, 2014
Brennan Huber
Men's Cross Country - Sophomore
Men's Cross Country SAAC Rep
My experience at Tennessee Tech is one I never want to forget. The bonds that have been created with my teammates is one that will hopefully be life long. These guys are my family, I would do anything in the world for any one of them.
I hope when I'm 90 years old, I'm able to remember back to the time we did do so well at conference my freshman year. I hope to remember the time we got a new coach and how much better of runners we became. I hope to remember the days when people feared the name Tennessee Tech because the athletes they have. But more than all, I hope to call Daniel, Jordan, Sterling, or Wesley that way we can bask “in the glory days” together.
Tennessee Tech was never where I thought I would be continuing my education... But looking back at everything that has happened since high school, and the friendships I have made, I can proudly say that I am glad I made the decision to attend here. If I were given the choice again, I would choose Tech time and time again. Fly till we die.
Monday, December 1, 2014
Candace Parson
Basketball - Senior
Basketball SAAC Rep
My experience at Tech has been an interesting journey. I have been at Tech for four years and I am starting Graduate School this year. When I first got here it was nothing like I expected. Tennessee Tech provided me with such a comfortable and safe atmosphere. I traveled to Tech miles away from my home and never once was I homesick. The staff, students, and coaches are friendly and really care about one another.
It may seem a bit cliche but the teachers at Tech are the best. They never settle for anything less than your best, but at the same time, they are your biggest fans. They are here to help you when you need help at anytime. They want to see you succeed far beyond their classrooms, more importantly they help to teach important life lessons.
Being a student-athlete is never an easy thing to do, but I could not have imagined playing and getting my degree at any other school. I suffered two ACL injuries my first two years here and I was surrounded by tremendous supporters and motivators. They encouraged me to keep pushing and staying focused. My time here at Tech is coming to an end soon and I must say I am going to miss all the memories and people who played a part in my wonderful college experience.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Hannah Goolsby
Basketball - Sophomore
Basketball SAAC Rep
My experience at Tennessee Tech has been wonderful. The first time that I came to the campus I instantly felt at home. I was on my official visit for basketball and all of the people at Tech were so welcoming to me and they talked to me like they had known me for years. I was nervous to come on my visit at first, but once I met some of the faculty members I felt comfortable. This was one of the reasons why I committed to come to Tennessee Tech.
I am currently a sophomore and the people around campus still treat me the same way. Everywhere I go someone talks to me and asks how our basketball team is doing, and they ask how I am doing. It still makes me feel at home even though I am from Cookeville, Tennessee. It is like a home away from home feeling. There are so many fans that support our team and come to every home game and every practice. The support means the world to our team and it shows how much they care about Tennessee Tech and the program.
I even have some professors who are very supportive of our team. They wish me luck when I have a game and some of them have even attended some of our games. That also reflects back on the University, and it shows how much support it has as a whole.
Overall, my experience at Tennessee Tech has been the best. I have learned a lot and have met a lot of wonderful people. I am grateful to be surrounded by such wonderful people, and to be apart of such a supportive university and community.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Evan Fraliex
Baseball - Sophomore
Baseball SAAC Rep
There has never been a place or a team that I felt more apart of than I do here at Tennessee Tech. Coming into my freshman year, I had no idea what to expect with this transition in my life. No one really knows what to expect when they get to college. However, when I got here I immediately knew that it was the right place for me to be. The friendships and bonds that I have made with teammates, other athletes, and students here are some that I will never forget.
This transition in my life has definitely not been the easiest by a long shot. Going through the struggles of waking up early and then going all day everyday is definitely a grind. But it is a grind that has been one of the most rewarding times of my life because of all the memories and friendships I have made through them.
Tech is definitely a place that I call my home away from home. Through my short time here, Tech has blessed me in countless ways and I can’t wait to see what is in store for me in my future here.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Justin Alexander
Baseball - Junior
Baseball SAAC Rep
My experiences at Tennessee Tech are things that I will never forget as long as I live. There are a lot of struggles and challenges that I have had to face, but getting through those challenges is what I like to look back on. Studying civil engineering and playing college baseball was never the easiest route to take while in college. There was a lot of time management and a lot of late night studying, but as you grind through all of that, you begin to understand what being a student-athlete is all about.
Being a student-athlete teaches you to take on the obstacles, overcome the obstacles, and look back on what you have learned from those experiences. I have had a lot of obstacles throughout my career. From recovering from a shoulder surgery to studying for three tests in one night after a late night practice, challenges are always thrown our way. What we remember is the grind of going through all of that and making those memories and experiences with those around you. We, as student athletes, don’t remember the easy stuff, but we remember grinding and working through these challenges with our teammates.
Friday, October 10, 2014
Luke Woodason
Football - Junior
SAAC President
My Experience at Tech
If I had to share and talk about my experiences here as a student athlete at Tennessee Tech University, the first word that comes to mind is Family. When a high school athlete is on their college visits every school tries to use the word family or for me, each football team attempted to tell me about some sort of brotherhood within their team. I didn’t really feel as if any school was telling me the truth until I came to Tech, and through my challenges and difficulties as a college athlete I can honestly say that Tennessee Tech Athletics has been my family away from home.
Being from out of state like most athletes here on campus are, it is nice to have someone who you can trust to be there for you through everything life tries to throw at you. This is my fourth year here at Tech, but on paper I am a redshirt sophomore. You are right, the math doesn’t add up. I played football as a true freshman, and that was the year we won the conference championship. I was having a great year, and even better off-season leading into my sophomore season. Then, that is where my story begins. Playing against The University of Oregon I tore my left hamstring, my season was finished. Knowing I was out for that season, I went to our team doctor about my shoulders that have been bothering me over the years, and after the MRI’s it was concluded that I needed shoulder surgery on my left shoulder, and then he proceeded to tell me that I also needed shoulder surgery on my right shoulder as well. That November I had what they called Reconstructive Shoulder Surgery, where the fixed part of my labrum and tightened all the tissue surrounding my shoulder socket. Six weeks later, I had the exact same surgery to my right shoulder. One can only imagine what rehab was like during that time, for both shoulders, and don’t forget about my hamstring as well. Fast forward to the start of next season. Third day of camp tore my hamstring; this time it was my other one than last year. Determined to come back for the end of the season, I was doing rehab like crazy. Feeling back to 100%, I was able to get my first start in my college career against Eastern Illinois, during that game I jumped up for a ball thrown to my guy, knowing I was covering him like a blanket in a cold winter night, I grabbed the ball out of the air. On my way down thinking I just got an interception, but God had a different plan. When I hit the ground, I landed directing on my shoulder, but before you jump to conclusions about reinjuring my shoulder, you must remember our team doctor is one of the best in the game, my shoulders are bomb proof, as he would say. I had what doctors call a Posterior Sternoclavicular Dislocation, it’s where your collarbone gets dislocated and instead of going out, like almost all do, it went backwards pressing against my throat. There have only been 100 reported cases of this injury, and our team doctor knew exactly what to do to get it fixed back to normal. Went to one hospital, and then taken to another hospital to perform surgery to put it back into place. Through this whole time our Director of Athletics was by my side the whole time. He said "you’re part of our Tennessee Tech family, and we will always have a member of athletics with you." After that injury I was able to return back to the field for spring practice, I was doing great stronger and faster than I have ever been. After the spring football was over we were maxing out on power cleans, right before the school year was about to be over. We were doing two rep maxes, and I got the first one perfectly, thought the second was about to be a breeze. Picked it up off the ground, and as soon as I caught it in the squat, my leg popped and went all different directions. As I looked down, it was my knee; out of all my injuries this one was the worst pain of all. Not knowing at all what was wrong I was taken to our team doctor, and he looked at my good leg then felt my bad leg. Looked at me and gave me a hug and said, can we just cry now. What had happened was that I tore 3 out of 4 of my quad tendons, and I had immediate surgery the following morning. Doctor said my tendons just looked like an old mop. Now I am currently in rehab for that.
After hearing my story of my life at Tech one might say that I am unlucky and I am a failure. I believe that I am one of the most successful athletes on this campus. Through every injury and challenge I have had here at Tech I have always had a smile on my face. Mainly due to the fact that I know that God has a plan for me and he promises good for those who love him, but a lot my smiles have to do with my Tech family. There have been times where I was not able to pick myself up both physically and mentally, and I can honestly say that everyone has been there for me to pick me up. The practice where I tore my hamstring, two guys picked me up and we huddled together as my head coach said a prayer for me. Each administrative member of athletics always checking in on me and asking how I am doing. The sports medicine team is always there for me in every way. Athletes from different sports are always bringing smiles to my face. Those are the actions and characteristics I think of when I think back about my time here at Tech. This is my Tech Family; I love them all very much, and realize I am very blessed to have them in my life.
