GETTING TO KNOW: Santiago Pedraza Novak, Regis Men's Soccer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WINTHROP, Mass. – The Great Northeast Athletic Conference announced its Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Commissioner's Council for the 2020-21 academic year back in August. Every Wednesday we will feature a member of the prestigious leadership group from a more personal perspective, including Instagram Takeovers each 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

Santiago Pedraza Novak Q&A

Year: Sophomore

Hometown: Bogotá, Colombia 

Position: Forward (Regis Men's Soccer)

Major: Biology / Pre-Med

Why did you choose Regis?: The incredible community, great athletics department and staff, great soccer program and coaches, small sized classes, accessible campus, and great opportunities to be successful. 

High School: IMG Academy 

Top HS Athletic Memory: Winning offensive player of the year for IMG my senior year after completing a season with 26 appearances and 29 goals. 

Favorite Quarantine Activity(s): Working out and cooking. 

Favorite Athlete: Cristiano Ronaldo 

Favorite Movie: The Lion King 

Favorite Music Artist: Juice Wrld 

Favorite Food: Anything Italian!

Career aspirations: To become an orthopedic surgeon.

Personal: I have two older siblings, my brother played D1 tennis for Dartmouth College and my sister also played D1 tennis at the University of Illinois. 

What do you hope to gain out of being a member of the GNAC SAAC Commissioner's Council?: Primarily, I hope to properly represent my school in the GNAC and be that connection between the Regis' ideals and community and the conference. Personally, I am looking forward to this experience because I will be able to gain the confidence and responsibility needed to be in this group and I will be more familiar with how our conference operates. Lastly, this will allow me to bring back the discussions and initiatives back to campus so that Regis can become more active and present within the conference and its activities.

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 –