McGuirk and Savala represented UD at the 2018 NCAA Convention

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) was represented by 16 student-athletes at the 2018 NCAA Convention. The convention was held from Wednesday, January 17 through Saturday, January 20, and was being held at the home of NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Made possible through the NCAA Division III Strategic Initiative Grant, the 16 student-athletes participated in activities ranging from education sessions to business sessions to the NCAA Honors Celebration.

Among the student-athletes that attended were Melanie Savala and Kevin McGuirk from the University of Dallas. Savala is a junior on the softball team, and McGuirk is a junior on the track and field team.

Both enjoyed their experiences at the convention, and gained valuable insight on growing as leaders for student-athletes at UD and beyond.

Savala explained, “Knowing that what we think and our opinions as student-athletes really makes a difference for all of D3 in general, because student-athletes do have a big say in the rules.”

One of the things each of the student-athletes in attendance was able to do was sit in on the rulings and voting, which according to Savala is important in that “knowing that our voices are being heard.”

Savala has lettered two seasons with the softball program and has expressed interest in pursuing involvement in collegiate athletics beyond graduation.

“Being part of this convention helped me realize that I really do want to be part of collegiate athletics. Whether it is being a coach or an administrator I think I would really just love the opportunity to be a part of it.”

McGuirk absorbed the stories shared by several former student-athletes and award recipients at the convention.  

“At the dinner, I cannot say enough how inspirational all the stories were, but the one that stuck with me the most was former Princeton men’s lacrosse player David Morrow,” McGuirk reflected.

Morrow received the 2018 Silver Anniversary Award. At Princeton, Morrow led the team to four straight NCAA Tournament Appearances and the program’s first national championship in 1992. After his fall semester for his freshman year at Princeton, Morrow wanted to quit the team. Head Coach Bill Tierney pushed him to stay, and Morrow credited his faith in him saying it changed the course of his life: “Coach said to stay strong and he convinced me to stay.”

McGuirk heard that message and it stuck with him.

“Who are you to say what you cannot do.” McGuirk stated. “I thought that was so powerful…I think that is a problem a lot of people struggle with.” McGuirk has been sharing that message to the students at UD.

McGuirk also gathered reaffirmation on how being a student-athlete aids the development of a better overall student.

Robin Roberts, a successful broadcaster and former women’s college basketball player who helped bring the Women’s Final Four to a national television audience, was honored last Friday by NCAA President Mark Emmert as the recipient of the Gerald R. Ford Award.

According to McGuirk she mentioned, “Being a student-athlete not only helped be a better athlete, but also a better professional. Being an athlete and having the big time commitment of being an athlete helped her to be a better student.”

“My first semester transferring into UD, I was not a student-athlete,” mentioned McGuirk. “In one semester, I had a 3.66 improve to 3.86 after joining the track and field program in the spring…from experience I know that being an athlete helps, not hinders, being a student.”

McGuirk lettered his first season with the track and field team, after participating in seven different events. He eyes a similar level of commitment this spring, and also has an interest in broadcasting beyond graduation.

The SCAC was one of the first conferences at any level to bring a large contingent of student-athletes to the NCAA Convention. Started in 2012, the conference selected 18 student-athletes to attend, and then 22 in 2016.