GETTING TO KNOW: Andre Cotton-Samuel, JWU Men's Basketball
Learn more about Johnson & Wales sophomore Andre Cotton-Samuel, who hails from Long Island, as he works as a key cog for both the Wildcats SAAC and GNAC SAAC Commissioner's Council.
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, each Wednesday we will feature a member of the prestigious leadership group from a more personal perspective, including Instagram Takeovers every Thursday!
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.
GNAC SAAC COMMISSIONER'S COUNCIL FEATURES
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
Andre Cotton-Samuel Q&A
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Long Island, New York
Position: Point Guard
Major: Sports Management
Why did you choose JWU?: I choose Johnson & Wales (Providence) because of the location and to play college basketball. My sister went to St. George's School in Middletown, R.I., and I always enjoyed coming to Rhode Island to visit her.
High School: Jim Thorpe Area High School
Top HS athletic memory: My favorite HS athletic memory is, placing second in districts and playing in the Pennsylvania state tournament my senior season.
Favorite Quarantine Activity(s): Some of my favorite quarantine activities were working out, playing Xbox, and eating.
Favorite Athlete(s): Kyrie Irving and LeBron James
Favorite Movie: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Favorite Music Artist(s): Lil Uzi Vert and Gunna
Favorite Food(s): Chicken Parmesan
Career Aspirations: In the future, I plan to become a professional basketball agent. I also hope to someday work in the front office for an NBA organization.
Personal: My dad also went to college and played basketball in R.I. at the University of Rhode Island.
What do you hope to gain from being a member of the GNAC SAAC Commissioner's Council?: From being a member of the GNAC SAAC Commissioner's Council, I hope to gain a lot of knowledge and understanding of how the GNAC operates and how they go about creating and implementing rules, policies, and programs. I hope to bring this new information to JWU and improve the quality of life and college experience for all student-athletes at my University. My main goal as a member of the GNAC SAAC Commissioner's Council is to make the GNAC aware of the needs of student-athletes at my University and work with the GNAC towards creating and implementing programs to resolve those needs.
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 –