SAAC STANDOUTS: Isabella Leister, Norwich Women's Soccer

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

Belle Leister Q&A

Year: Senior

Hometown Hartland, VT

Position: I have played 8 of the 11 positions on the field during my time at NU. My favorite is definitely left defense. 

Major: Health Science

Why did you choose Norwich?: I was awarded an Army ROTC scholarship when I was a senior in high school and chose to come the oldest military college in the nation.  As the birthplace of Army ROTC, the lifestyle seemed perfect to develop me into a future officer.

High School: Hartford HS

Top HS athletic memory: I always loved being on the field, on the court, or wherever I could play. But I think my favorite part of athletics was being able to support other teams. I organized many different rallies for my school in order to boost the crowds for various sports teams.  Showing support for your fellow athletes is so important!

Favorite Quarantine Activities: I loved hiking during quarantine because I couldn't get much more socially distanced than that! I also learned how to cook some which was also very interesting.

Favorite Athletes: My brother! He was a sponsored mountain-bike racer before his service in the Navy. I have never met an athlete as dedicated as him!

 

Favorite Foods: Sushi, popcorn, beef stew

Career Aspirations: I aspire to branch aviation in December for my job in the Army.  If that happens, I will fly for the Army for about 10 years and at some point go to PA school through the military education system.  

Personal: My sister also went to Norwich and played on the women's soccer team! She was a civilian student, and I am in the Corps.

What do you hope to gain from the GNAC SAAC to bring back to your campus?: I think a sense of community and respect is a great start to bring back onto campus. Having athletes across the northeast that all respect each other and the game in order to have fun competition playing sports we love is an amazing thing.  And the community outreach we always do is something I look forward to every year!

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 –