MEAC SAAC Meeting Empowers Student-Athletes Through Career Development

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) began its annual meeting on November 13 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The gathering brought together student-athletes from across the conference to discuss campus concerns, professional development, and the implementation of new conference-wide initiatives. According to meacsports.com, the first day of the meeting focused on bridging the gap between individual campus experiences and national-level athletic policy.

Neema Connor, the MEAC Associate Commissioner for Compliance & Administration, led initial discussions regarding current student-athlete activities on their respective campuses. The session evolved into a collaborative dialogue on how the conference can expand career development programs and strengthen existing support systems rather than introducing redundant administrative layers.

The meeting highlighted the multi-tiered structure of student-athlete governance, which operates through campus-level committees, the MEAC-specific SAAC, and the national SAAC. Hayden Makins from the NCAA participated to discuss the role of the national committee, emphasizing how student-athletes can influence legislation and national policy through active involvement.

“My favorite part of the day was definitely just being able to voice some things that we think need to be addressed within our schools and how we could better the conference and make us seem more appealing on a national scale,” Janea Hudson, a pitcher from North Carolina Central University, told meacsports.com.

Hudson said that despite traditional athletic rivalries, the meeting fostered a sense of unity between institutions like South Carolina State and North Carolina Central.

Beyond policy and advocacy, the agenda addressed the practical economic realities facing student-athletes. Daniel Shannon from Wells Fargo conducted a session on financial literacy, covering essential topics such as 401K planning, budgeting, and the distinction between gross and net income. The segment included a practical activity where participants calculated living costs, insurance, and food expenses to prepare for unexpected financial situations.

The day concluded with a briefing on the upcoming launch of “MEAC Cares.” Neema Connor detailed how this initiative, which is scheduled to launch later in November, was developed with direct input and strategic help from the SAAC members.

“It was amazing to be able to connect with athletes across the conference. My favorite part of the day was definitely when we all collaborated and shared our own ideas, and I actually saw multiple ideas that were similar across different institutions,” Lashea Morlu, a hitter from South Carolina State, told meacsports.com.

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, which enters its 56th year of competition in the 2026–27 academic year, is headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. The conference comprises eight Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) along the Atlantic seaboard, including Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, and South Carolina State University.

The SAAC annual meeting continues with a second day of programming on November 14.