Three Hobart and William Smith student-athletes, along with Heron Field Hockey Assistant Coach and Coordinator of Student-Athlete Wellness
Sophie Dennis ’07, recently attended the 2010 NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Leadership Conference. Junior
BreLynn Nasypany, sophomore
Drake Woodard, and sophomore
Tony Yeboah all traveled to Jersey City, N.J., for the conference that was held Jan. 22-24.
“This was a great opportunity for Tony, BreLynn, and Drake to meet other student-athletes from schools they compete against, in a non-competitive setting,” Dennis said. “The conference provided a good atmosphere for people to bounce ideas off each other, and get different leadership perspectives from other Division III student-athletes, coaches and administrators.”
The goal of the conference was to enhance the personal development and leadership skills of NCAA Division III student-athletes, coaches and administrators. Sessions offered at the conference allowed participants a greater understanding of the NCAA, the Division III governance and legislative process, and the Division III National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). Other division-specific and association-wide issues, like sportsmanship, diversity, nutrition, mental health, and game environment, allowed participants to explore how to play an active role, as an agent of change, in reference to these critical topics.
A two-time All-American, Nasypany led the William Smith soccer team to its third Liberty League Tournament title last fall, as well as a trip to the NCAA Tournament, while Yeboah led the Hobart soccer team to its first conference championship, and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Woodard, a two-time unanimous All-Liberty League first team pick, is a cornerback on the Statesmen football team. He helped Hobart to a 6-3 overall record, marking the program’s 13th straight winning season.