Stevens' Ingersoll Elected National Chair of DIII SAAC
Rob Kulish
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Senior women's lacrosse captain and Mechanical Engineering major
Amanda Ingersoll (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) was elected chair of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), it was announced at the annual NCAA Convention in Washington, D.C. on January 16, 2015.
"The NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is comprised of student-athlete leaders from across the country who work tirelessly to represent the 183,500 young men and women playing sports in Division III," said Ingersoll. "To be selected as chair of this committee and to help bring all of the student-athlete voices to the membership of the NCAA is such an amazing honor. I am excited to have this opportunity in my final year on the committee and as a Stevens student-athlete."
Ingersoll came to Castle Point in the fall of 2011 and immediately became a leader in the Stevens SAAC. As a sophomore, she became involved from a conference and regional standpoint before being selected as a national committee member, representing the Empire 8 Conference and State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC). The Division III SAAC consists of one student-athlete representative from each pair of conferences represented in the Division III SAAC partnership program and at least one student-athlete from a Division III independent institution.
She was voted in the as the vice chair of the national committee last January, before being nominated and winning a vote to make her the Division III national chair last week. The Division III committee is comprised of 24 student-athletes, 12 male and 12 female from across the nation's 540-plus DIII colleges and universities.
Ingersoll's term will run from January 2015-January 2016 and she is replacing Rochester Institute of Technology soccer and softball player Chelsea Shoemaker. As chair, she will preside over all meetings, assist with meeting preparation and serve as the committee's spokesperson to the media. The two-year Stevens women's lacrosse captain will represent the national committee at conventions, meetings and other NCAA-hosted events in addition to attending other events hosted by outside entities. Ingersoll will also attend Inclusion and Leadership Development programs throughout her term.
"I am so proud of Amanda for being selected as the national SAAC chair," said Stevens Head Women's Lacrosse Coach
Celine Cunningham. "She is a remarkable student-athlete and will bring an excellent perspective to the National SAAC and its constituents. Amanda will be a great voice for the student-athletes of Stevens, the Empire 8 and all of NCAA Division III athletics, and I am excited to see her grow and contribute during her time as chair of this committee."
SAAC Mission
The mission of the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is to enhance the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity, protecting student-athlete well-being and fostering a positive student-athlete image, while maintaining the tenets of the Division III philosophy.
A staple in the community, Ingersoll has been heavily involved in fostering the relationship between NCAA Division III and the Special Olympics from a national standpoint, while also staying heavily involved locally at shelters and more. Her hard work and selfless dedication earned her the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Association (IWLCA) Community Awareness award in June.
The third-year Duck has worked with the American Red Cross, organizing, running, and cleaning up blood drives and recruiting donors locally and on the Stevens campus itself. Ingersoll has also worked with the Susan G Komen Foundation, organizing and executing Powder Puff Football games and selling "Pink" merchandise to support Breast Cancer Awareness. Additionally, she has done a great deal of work for the Armed Forces and Veteran Outreach, fundraising and participating in the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Tower Run/Walk, and making cards to send to active troops on holidays such as Christmas. Ingersoll has also helped plan an annual "Pancake" night to raise money for the National Kidney Foundation each year since 2012, raised money for the Liberty Humane Society and generated awareness for the STEM program by the local Boys & Girls Club.
Ingersoll has also done a large-scale general work in the local community – volunteering to work the call-in center in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, helping to coordinate a city-wide cleanup after the superstorm as well as setting up and breaking down major local events like the Hoboken Arts & Music Festival.
On the field, Ingersoll will graduate as one of the best defenders in women's lacrosse history. She was the 2012 Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and has not slowed down, earning all-conference honors each of her first three seasons on Castle Point and leading the Ducks to the postseason each and every year. She is among the program leaders in ground balls and caused turnovers while consistently performing at a high-level in transition and when given the opportunity on the offensive side of the field. The senior also earned All-Boardwalk Region honors from the IWLCA after the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
Upon graduation, Ingersoll has accepted a position at Lockheed Martin in Morristown, N.J.