GETTING TO KNOW: Zoe Coleman, Dean Field Hockey/Softball

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WINTHROP, Mass. – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference recently announced its Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Commissioner's Council for the 2020-21 academic year. Throughout September, on each Wednesday we will feature each member of the prestigious leadership group from a more in-depth perspective. 

The support and formal creation of a revamped league-wide GNAC SAAC initiative came in April 2018 as a strategic recommendation from the Conference Self-Study Guide (CSSG) Committee and GNAC Presidents' Council. The SAAC Commissioner's Council will work directly with GNAC Assistant to the Commissioner Julio Barroso, with the strategic goal of emphasizing the student-athletic experience, as well as the key focus of student-athlete mental health in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

2020-21 GNAC SAAC COMMISSIONER'S COUNCIL
AUG. 26 | Daniele Iaboni (Whitby, Ontario), Anna Maria College men's soccer sophomore
SEPT. 2 | Zoe Coleman (Warwick, R.I.), Dean College field hockey/softball sophomore
SEPT. 9 | Morgan Mercier (Lincolnville, Maine), Emmanuel College men's soccer/men's lacrosse senior
SEPT. 16 | Andre Cotton-Samuel (Long Island, N.Y.), Johnson & Wales University (RI) men's basketball sophomore
SEPT. 23 | Alex Lorenzo (Pawtucket, R.I.), Lasell University women's soccer sophomore
SEPT. 30 | Santiago Pedraza Novak (Bogota, Colombia), Regis College men's soccer sophomore
OCT. 7 | Aminah Tsonga (Plainville, Conn.), University of Saint Joseph (CT) women's volleyball senior

Zoe Coleman, Dean Field Hockey & Softball

Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Warwick, Rhode Island 
Position: Defense in field hockey and Pitcher for softball 
Major: Communications
Why did you choose your school?: I loved that Dean is in a small, close-knit community where everyone knows each other, and is able to look out for one another. The best part about being enrolled in Dean College is all of the opportunities that are given both academically and athletically. It's truly a second home. 
High School: Pilgrim High School
Top HS athletic memory: Pilgrims victory over Lincoln HS in the 2016 State Championship DII Field Hockey Game! Go Patriots! 
Favorite Quarantine Activity(s): I love to write, and found myself writing a lot of letters and mailing them to friends and family during quarantine. Another favorite activity of mine is to workout and go for runs to keep my mind busy and body in shape!
Favorite Athlete: David Pastrnak
Favorite Movie(s): Miracle, A Star Is Born
Favorite Music Artist: Luke Combs
Favorite Food(s): I love steak, strawberries and anything with pasta!
Career Aspirations: To be a successful writer, whether that is in sports, journalism, or becoming an author! 

Personal: I would always watch my sister Breana, 23, play field hockey and softball when I was younger, and she is the main reason why I started out in both sports and continue to play both in college today. I continue to look up to not only her, but also my brother Hunter, 20, who was also active in sports and played Football and currently throws for track. My parents, siblings and I are all very close and I am very lucky to have the support system I have from them.

What do you hope to gain out of being a member of the GNAC SAAC Commissioner's Council? What do you hope to bring back to your campus?  While being a member of the GNAC SAAC Commissioner's Council, I hope to gain information from fellow members on how the athletic teams at their colleges are dealing with this ongoing pandemic, and what we as leaders can do to help all athletes maintain a healthy lifestyle while following state regulated guidelines. I hope to bring knowledgeable information back to campus that will benefit our community and improve athletics all around as a whole.

The Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) is an NCAA Division III association made up of 13 member institutions and over 3,000 student-athletes across the New England region. Founded in 1995, the GNAC annually sponsors and administers 22 championships, while balancing academic integrity, athletic opportunity and community involvement in an effort to enhance the student-athlete experience. 

– #TheGNAC –