Westfield State's Julianne Kelly Chosen as Next MASCAC SAAC President
"I hope to give everyone a voice and advocate for any needs,” said Kelly.
Westfield State's Julianne Kelly is the new president of the MASCAC Student Athlete Advisory Committee executive board.
Accustomed to leadership roles, Kelly looks forward to captaining the cross country team in the fall in addition to her role as SAAC president. "I like seeing how the whole organization of all the member schools can come together," she said. "I hope to give everyone a voice and advocate for any needs."
She highlights athletes' mental health as a top priority of hers as SAAC president. The first project she organized was a book drive for local schools in the Westfield area. Kelly, along with other MASCAC athletes signed messages inside books, which were then donated to local schools. Kelly, a junior from Natick, Mass., was MASCAC all-conference in 2024 for both the cross country and track teams. She joined the SAAC as a sophomore, with a goal of showing her own abilities while helping other people perform at their best and show their true selves.
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is made up of student-athletes with the goal of providing insight into the student-athlete experience. NCAA legislation mandates that all member institutions have a SAAC on their respective campuses. The SAAC president is a student-athlete who, once elected, assists the MASCAC Assistant Commissioner in discussing topics which includes future SAAC projects, conference initiatives, community service and ways to improve SAAC.
Finding a true second home in Westfield, Julianne shouts out the campus life and coaching staff when asked about why she chose the Owls.
"You really get a community feel here, she said. "There's a good balance between being a student and being an athlete. Coach Marlee [Berg-Haryasz] is really good at understanding that you're more than just an athlete or a student, you're also a person."
"I looked at places where I could get the best education while also pursuing my love of running, and Westfield could give me that, said Julianne. "Good community among athletes, and a strong program in the athletic training and movement science dept."
Kelly is an athletic training major who hopes to continue excel in the classroom and on the track in 2025.
-- written by Declan Murphy, sports information intern