Maddox, Rosso Appointed To New Roles In Great Midwest SAAC

As announced by the Great Midwest Athletic Conference on Tuesday (Aug. 1) afternoon, Ashland University juniors Trent Maddox and Avery Rosso have been voted to new roles within the conference's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
 
Maddox, a quarterback on the Eagle football team, is the new Great Midwest SAAC chair for the 2023-24 academic year, while Rosso, a forward/midfielder on the AU women's soccer team, is the conference SAAC's new social media chair for 2023-24. Those roles were confirmed during the Great Midwest SAAC meeting on Saturday (July 29).
 
Over the last two years, Maddox, also Ashland's SAAC president, served as the Great Midwest SAAC vice chair.
 
They join Ashland women's lacrosse senior defender Alexis Montalvo, who is a member of the NCAA Division II SAAC, as Eagle SAAC members who have leadership roles at the national or conference SAAC level.

Said Ashland Director of Athletics Al King, "I'm excited to see our student-athletes in leadership positions in the G-MAC and on the national scene. This is something we've been striving for, and I give our student-athletes a lot of credit for their willingness to serve in these roles. We believe this is part of the entire student-athlete experience. Our hope is that this opens the door and sets an example that Ashland University student-athletes will become involved and make an impact off the playing field in NCAA Division II.

"Kudos to our Assistant Athletic Director Elizabeth Hoge for her guidance with SAAC and helping us reach this goal. This doesn't happen without her persistence."
 
"I am very excited for this upcoming year with SAAC," said Hoge, Ashland Assistant Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator/Director of Academic Support Services for Athletics. "Our student-athletes have all worked so hard to grow our team, and their leadership is reflected in that. I am very proud of Alexis, Trent, and Avery for being leaders in the G-MAC, and showcasing Ashland at that level.
 
"With Alexis being the first NCAA SAAC rep from Ashland, it shows how dedicated our program has been to developing student leaders. Trent has done a wonderful job as our SAAC president, and I am looking forward to seeing what he will do as the GMAC SAAC president. Avery is continuing to showcase her talents with graphic design and marketing, and she will be able to continue to grow her skills as she works with the GMAC."
 
During Saturday's meeting, members of the Great Midwest SAAC motioned and ultimately voted to split the role of the National SAAC representative and the Great Midwest SAAC chair to be two separate and distinct roles. In previous years, the two roles were combined, and one individual took on the responsibilities of both National SAAC and Great Midwest SAAC. This change will allow for additional leadership opportunities, spread the work of National SAAC and Great Midwest SAAC to two student-athletes, and will allow the National SAAC representative to focus on issues at the national level while maintaining a connection to the Great Midwest SAAC.
 
"These three student-athlete leaders really embody what we want the Ashland student-athletes to become, and this year will really showcase their talent and leadership," Hoge said.