Barrefors, Hoppenrath New Co-Presidents of Student-Athlete Advisory Committee

After trying a co-presidency for the first time in 23 years in 2009-10, the Nebraska Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) has elected co-presidents again in 2010-11.

Bjorn Barrefors and Blaine Hoppenrath were elected Monday night by their peers, and Keith Zimmer believes their election validates the success the group enjoyed this past year.

“Credit Blake Lawrence and Megan Wheatley for their leadership and the way they were able to co-lead this group,” said Zimmer, Nebraska’s Associate Athletic Director for Life Skills. “Blake and Megan developed the joint leadership style, and it helped the group become more engaged and more empowered than it’s been in the 18 years that I've served as an adviser.”

A native of Stockholm, Sweden, Barrefors is an All-America decathlete and heptathlete on the Nebraska men’s track and field team.  A native of Liberty, Mo., Hoppenrath is one of the more versatile performers on the Husker women’s swimming and diving team.

Hoppenrath will be a senior, and Barrefors will be a junior. “Both feel the leadership model built by Blake and Megan will help them continue the positive direction we’re going with this group,” Zimmer said, pointing out that SAAC is the primary voice for Nebraska’s more than 600 student-athletes.

“This group is the sounding board for Tom Osborne and the Athletic Department,” Zimmer said. “Coach Osborne uses this group as a gauge for student-athlete welfare. He listens to concerns that need to be addressed and considers ideas that come from within. He values feedback and places a lot of trust in this group’s overall leadership. In essence, SAAC helps us make sure our student-athletes have a great experience at Nebraska.”

While the group works mostly in anonymity, Zimmer said it's an important organization “for all athletes, parents, recruits, coaches, athletic staff and really for the entire state of Nebraska.”

SAAC elected three additional officers Monday night.

Kaitlyn Burke, a senior-to-be guard on the Nebraska women’s basketball team, was elected Community Relations Officer. Tyler Hitchler, a junior-to-be shot putter and discus thrower on the track and field team, was elected secretary, and Madison Drake,  a junior-to-be outfielder on the Husker softball team, was elected as SAAC’s representative to the Big 12 Conference.