IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa track and field junior Armando Bryson was named the Big Ten Representative for the Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, the Division I National SAAC announced Tuesday.
In his position, Bryson represents the entire Big Ten Conference on the national level. The Division I National SAAC’s mission statement is “to enhance the total student-athlete experience by protecting student-athlete well-being, fostering a positive student-athlete image and inclusive student-athlete environment, and promoting student-athlete engagement at the national, conference and local levels.”
Bryson is the first Hawkeye student-athlete ever to hold this position. In addition to his role as the Big Ten representative, he will serve on the education sub-committee. At the conference level, Bryson will be in regular contact with conference SAAC reps through monthly meetings or group chats and will disseminate DI SAAC updates to all Big Ten institutions at every conference SAAC meeting.
“Being the first Hawkeye to receive this position is as a true honor,” Bryson said. “This appointment offers itself as a platform for student-athletes to directly take control of the decisions made on the highest level within their individual collegiate sport. I want to serves as an example of what it means to Win, Graduate and Do it Right, writing my name on ledger of Iowa School History.”
In these roles, Bryson will work to develop ties to become more influential at the campus, conference, and national levels, advocate for enhancements to the DI student-athlete experience and mental health for student-athletes.
“Under this appointment, I want to create a greater inclusive community – not only within the limits of Iowa City, but within each university in the Big Ten Conference,” Bryson said. “In the wake of continued international and domestic turmoil, I want to create a culture within the NCAA where we turn to our ears and sympathize opposed to our mouths to rationalize.”
Bryson will travel to Indianapolis at the end of the month for the first in-person DI SAAC conference since COVID-19. He, alongside all other 32 Division I conference representatives, will combine in Indianapolis to form legislation impacting all of Division I athletics.