INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Kentucky Wesleyan Student-Athlete Advisory Committee captures inaugural Community Engagement Award during the Great Midwest SAAC summit in Columbus, OH.

A total of 26 student-athletes and seven advisors representing each of the conference's 13 institutions were in attendance during the two-day summit. Kentucky Wesleyan was represented by Wiley Cain (football) who serves as Co-President for the Kentucky Wesleyan SAAC as well as Chair of the G-MAC and NCAA DII National SAAC, Aric Lyons (baseball) and Corina Conley (women's basketball). 

The Community Engagement Award, presented by the G-MAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), recognizes the top institution within the conference for their service and engagement within both their community and campus. Kentucky Wesleyan logged over 3,700 community services hours during the year. Campus Ministries' Build-A-Bed project served as the featured community service event in which more than 100 student-athletes built 40 beds for children within the Owensboro community. 

"Kentucky Wesleyan College is honored to win the inaugural Community Engagement Award." said Cain. "I am proud of the positive impact my fellow athletes have had on the Owensboro community. I have enjoyed the deep community formed between teams supporting each other! One Team Wesleyan has been in full effect over the last academic year."

The summit also included a community engagement project by partnering with the City of Columbus Recreation and Parks Department. Everyone participated in a metal health discussion put on by Minding Your Mind and worked on professional development with a visit from Slippery Rock Director of Athletics Roberta Page and NCAA Representatives Jill Willson and Haydyn Gibson.

Conley added "We're very excited about the ideas we are bringing back to campus this fall after hearing from our fellow G-MAC institutions this weekend. It's extremely neat to be a part of a conference that's in the midst of doing some amazing things, not only for their student-athletes, but for their community as well!"

SAAC Advisor and Assistant Athletic Director Gregory Richard stated that "I am so fortunate to get to experience the hard work our student-athletes put in day in and day out within the classroom, in competition but also to better their community. To see how much SAAC has grown on our campus is just incredible and nobody deserves this recognition more then them."

Stay up to date on all your Panther news by following @KWCpanthers on Twitter and Instagram and by liking the "Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics" Facebook page.