Terp Talk: Behind the 2026-27 SAAC Executive Board
Introducing the 2026-27 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Executive Board
Brady Ruth, Staff Writer
8/18/2026
As we kick off the 2026-27 academic year, SAAC's Executive Board is excited to introduce themselves and share what this year and being in a leadership role means to them. Each member answered one question in their own words — here's what leading, serving, and showing up for the Terp student-athlete community looks like heading into this year.
What does it mean to lead SAAC for a second year, and how will you continue to embrace this role to bring the group to new heights?
Being able to join SAAC for a second year not only brings me so much joy, but gives me motivation to do a better job than we did last year! Being able to come back, evaluate what we did in 2025-26, and think about how we could make it better for all student-athletes to have an amazing experience year in and year out is exciting. This executive board for this upcoming year will be able to reach heights that we never thought would be possible. With new faces, we will be able to bring new and better ideas to the table and reach as many of the wants and needs of the student-athletes as possible. We look forward to a great year and I cannot wait to get started with this group.AJ Larkin
What made you join and ultimately enjoy SAAC, and what do you hope to bring to the board with your leadership in the VP role?
I ultimately joined SAAC because my team needed a representative and my freshman self thought it would be a great way for me to get involved with the athletic community at Maryland. I am so happy I decided to do that because I met so many athletes from all the different sports and it started my journey of really being part of more at Maryland than just my sport. I hope to bring a new perspective as VP and give ideas of things I learned as a representative. It’s really important, I think, to have all different sports on the E-board because each sport has unique needs and availabilities that can be shared. I also hope to bring more fun and enjoyment to being a SAAC representative so that more want to get involved from the start.Ava McKennie
What does having a student-athlete community mean to you, and what's one way you want to bring teams closer together this year?
To me, having a student-athlete community means always having a team, beyond your sport, that understands the grind and celebrates the wins together. This year, I want to spark more of that connection by organizing more cross-team events so athletes can cheer each other on and build friendships across every field and court. I want to help create an energy where every athlete feels like they’re part of something bigger than just their own team.Olivia Kuehl
How do you want to make sure every student-athlete feels connected to SAAC this year?
I want to make sure every student-athlete, regardless of their sport, year, nationality, or previous school, is aware of SAAC by increasing the awareness of what we do and how we create opportunities to improve our athletic experience. I would encourage athletes to communicate with other sports, make sure all teams know the upcoming SAAC events, and make sure they have a community of other student-athletes to rely on and to support each other throughout the year. Being connected to SAAC allows you to build relationships with different student-athletes from different teams and making it an inclusive and enjoyable environment is a goal of mine."Jennessa Wolfe
What's your favorite event you're most excited to create for student-athletes this year or that we have hosted in the past with SAAC, going into your second year on the board?
I’m excited to host the Pie-a-Terp event again this year. Last year, we were able to raise over $1,000 for charity, and the event was a great way to engage student-athletes in community building. I hope to make the event even bigger and more successful for our second year doing it. Beyond that, I’m excited to work on some initiatives to drive student-athlete engagement at games and create initiatives to bring our community together!Julia Garcia
What kind of impact do you hope SAAC makes in the College Park community this year, coming back for Year Two on the board for you?
We had a really successful year last year with our various community events. We seem to have this theme every year of beating the year prior, whether it be canned goods for Terpsgiving or gifts wrapped for Adopt-a-Family. This year, I hope to continue this trend and surpass last year's numbers. I hope to continue to build these existing partnerships while also finding new ways that SAAC and the student-athlete body can interact with other community groups and their members to pave the way for new records to be broken year after year.Andrew Harmon
What's one community service goal and one community building goal you're most passionate about for this year?
As a lifelong Prince George’s County resident and former PG County Public Schools student, one of my biggest goals this year is to strengthen the connection between UMD student-athletes and local elementary and middle schools. I want us to be active, positive role models for kids in the same community that helped shape me. I recognize that every school has different needs, so I want to work with teachers and administrators to understand how we can best support their students, whether that is through mentoring, reading programs, school events, athletics, or simply being a consistent presence. At the same time, I want to build a stronger culture of service among UMD student-athletes by giving them opportunities to form genuine connections with the people and communities around us. I hope these experiences are ones our athletes truly value and want to return to, while building lasting relationships with the Prince George’s County community.Caroline Ross
How do you want to tell the story of Terp student-athletes this year through social media?
I want our social media to be something student-athletes actually want to follow and be part of, not just another account posting announcements. I want to make it fun, modern, and a little funky, while showing what being a Terp student-athlete really looks like beyond just competing. Whether that’s team challenges, funny behind-the-scenes moments, events, collaborations between sports, or sharing individual stories, I want people to see the personalities behind the jerseys. Most importantly, I want social media to help bring our teams closer together and get more people excited to show up, get involved, and be part of SAAC.Feliz Kuhne
Parting thoughts — sum up the year and being a Terp part of SAAC.
Being a Terp involved in SAAC has given me the opportunity to grow as a leader, build meaningful relationships, and make an impact beyond athletics. My biggest advice is to get involved, put yourself out there, and take advantage of every opportunity. You never know what connections, learning experiences, or memories can come from it.President AJ Larkin
