SAAC STANDOUTS: Jessica Coughlin, Albertus Magnus Women's Tennis
The GNAC continues to feature hard-working student-athletes across the conference with more SAAC spotlights from each of its 13 members.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WINTHROP, Mass. – Back in August, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference announced its Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Commissioner's Council for the 2020-21 academic year, as each of the seven members were featured weekly with Wednesday Q&A Spotlights before GNAC Instagram Story Takeovers on Thursdays.
We now continue our Q&A and Instagram Takeovers with SAAC members from the GNAC's other six member institutions, with this weekly series set to run through November 18-19. For the complete weekly breakdown, please see below, and check out our Instagram Highlights for clips of past student-athlete takeovers!
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 FEATURES
AUG. 26 | Anna Maria: Daniele Iaboni (Whitby, Ontario), men's soccer sophomore
SEPT. 2 | Dean: Zoe Coleman (Warwick, R.I.), field hockey/softball sophomore
SEPT. 9 | Emmanuel: Morgan Mercier (Lincolnville, Maine), men's soccer/men's lacrosse senior
SEPT. 16 | Johnson & Wales (RI): Andre Cotton-Samuel (Long Island, N.Y.), men's basketball sophomore
SEPT. 23 | Lasell: Alex Lorenzo (Pawtucket, R.I.), women's soccer sophomore
SEPT. 30 | Regis: Santiago Pedraza Novak (Bogota, Colombia), men's soccer sophomore
OCT. 7 | Saint Joseph (CT): Aminah Tsonga (Plainville, Conn.), women's volleyball senior
OCT. 14 | Albertus Magnus: Jessica Coughlin (Durham, Conn.), women's tennis senior
OCT. 21 | Colby-Sawyer: Dottie Lanctot (Sandown, N.H.), field hockey senior
OCT. 28 | Norwich: Isabella Leister (Hartland, Vt.), women's soccer senior
NOV. 4 | Rivier: Dax Billingsley (Lynn, Mass.), baseball junior
NOV. 11 | Saint Joseph's of Maine: Michael Mason (East Brodgewater, Mass.), cross country senior
NOV. 18 | Simmons: Abby Anderson (South Yarmouth, Mass.), field hockey senior
Jessica Coughlin Q&A
Year: Senior
Hometown: Durham, CT
Position: No. 1-Singles & No. 1-Doubles
Major: Communications major / Graphic Design minor
Why did you choose Albertus?: One of the reasons I chose to attend Albertus is because I received the Presidential Scholarship, which covers 75% of tuition for four years. I also like the location because it is close to downtown New Haven, which not only is the pizza capital of the world, but also has many cute shops and places to eat! The location is also nice because I am close to my family. Being a D3 institution, Albertus gives me the opportunity to continue playing the sport I love, while allowing the time I need to focus on academics. I'm not just an athlete at Albertus. I'm blessed to be able to split my time between classes, tennis, a job, and clubs like the Honors Program and Student Alumni Association.
High School: Coginchaug Regional HS
Top HS athletic memory: My top high school athletic memory is winning the Shoreline Doubles tournament two years in a row and being named MVP three years in a row.
Favorite Quarantine Activity(s): My favorite quarantine activity is binging Netflix.
Favorite Athlete(s): A couple of my favorite athletes are Nadal and Caroline Wozniacki.
Favorite Movie(s): My favorite movie series is Lord of the Rings.
Favorite Music Artist(s): Thomas Rhett
Favorite Food(s): I love Italian food!
Career Aspirations: I would love to get a job in marketing or graphic design.
Personal: My mother, Kathleen Krol Coughlin, was a softball star at Lyman Hall. She was a three-year starter at third base and catcher, named All-Housatonic League in 1985 and 1986, named All-State in 1986, batted .432 her senior year, holds the school record for walks, is a three-time Coaches Award winner, was selected for CHSCA SR All-Star, and served as team captain. She also played volleyball, where she was named MVP.
What do you hope to gain from the GNAC SAAC to bring back to your campus?: I hope to improve my leadership skills and bring fresh ideas to the athletic community at Albertus Magnus College.
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.
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