October 6, 2000 -- Junior Diesa Seidel (Red Hook, NY), a member of the Marist College womens basketball team, was named to the Division I National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee it was announced by the National Collegiate Athletic Association today.

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is a group of student-athletes, from NCAA institutions, assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience and to offer input on the rules, regulations and policies that affect student-athletes lives on campuses. The Division I National SAAC consists of one student-athlete from each of the 30 Division I conferences, with the student-athlete selected to a two-year term.

The NCAA SAAC, which was adopted at the 1989 NCAA Convention, provides student-athletes to have an outlet to review and offer input on NCAA activities and proposed legislation that affect student-athlete welfare. Presently, there are 78 members serving on the national Divisions I, II, and III committees.

This is an incredible honor, said Seidel, the Red Foxes starting center for the past two seasons. This committee gives student-athletes a voice within its own governing body and a chance to affect the rules and regulations that we must follow. I am excited that I will get the chance to represent Marist and the MAAC in making and reviewing guidelines and policies for todays student-athletes.

Seidel, who averaged a team-best 13.8 points and 8.6 rebounds, helped Marist to its best season since 1995-96 with an 11-17 record. An All-MAAC Second Team selection and two-time MAAC Player of the Week honoree, Seidel averaged 5.0 points and 3.0 rebounds as one of 10 student-athletes from top womens collegiate basketball programs to participate in a 12-day trip to Greece with Nacel Open Door Team America All-Stars in June.