The Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee hosted a speaker to discuss the various areas surrounding mental health at their Annual Meeting on Sunday, December 3 at Worcester State.

Lauren DiCredico, a former Salem State field hockey and softball student-athlete, spoke to the MASCAC SAAC about the different areas surrounding mental health, including how to recognize a potential situation in a teammate, how to approach it while also handling a crisis within themselves. She also discussed the sports psychology side and how it can apply to their time in college as a student-athlete.

"My why for what I do is simple, "be who you needed when you were younger," DiCredico said. "That is my ultimate goal. I strive to create a supportive environment where student-athletes can come together to learn strategies that will not only help them effectively manage stress and pressure, but also provide valuable insights on how to tackle more serious mental health challenges. This experience confirms that the NCAA and college athletics are making positive strides in the right direction. This workshop was a great success, with enthusiastic and engaged SAAC leaders."

Throughout the presentation, the student-athletes were able to discuss their own personal experiences while using the different techniques to see how they would react in certain situations potentially involving teammates or roommates. 

"With so many athletes struggling, whether be our teammates or us as individual,  getting training and wisdom on how to better save and support each other is so important," MASCAC SAAC President Paige Moroney said. "We left with a lot of personal and practical advice, so overall it was a really great day to be a part of the MASCAC!”

Later in the day, the group went over the proposed legislation for this year's NCAA Convention which includes changes to the DIII philosophy statement, sponsoring numbers for tennis and to approve stunt as an emerging sport. 

If you are interested in becoming a member of your institutional SAAC, please visit your athletic department and your SAAC advisor!