BLUFFTON, SC – The University of South Carolina Beaufort has yet another opportunity to represent the institution and the Peach Belt Conference at a national level. After a semester that saw Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance & Student Success, Shawn Becker, named to a national DII committee, a team of USCB student-athletes, professors, and staff attend the DII APPLE Training Institute in Denver, CO, Interim Director of Athletics, Genia Montford, and Beckett Jones attend the Student-Athlete Leadership Forum in Dallas, TX, and the selection of Jones and Madison Self to lead the Peach Belt Conference as Chair and Vice Chair respectfully, 2026 is starting off on an emphatic note.
USCB sophomore left-handed pitcher Alex Robbins has been selected to serve as the Peach Belt Conference representative of the NCAA Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Robbins is a member of the Sand Sharks Baseball program.
"I am excited for the opportunity to represent USCB as well as the PBC to advocate and elevate student-athletes' voices for change within collegiate athletics," said Robbins. "This is an incredible honor, and I am ready to get to work now that I have been selected as this term's National SAAC representative."
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) serves as the primary governance arm representing student-athlete interests in Division II affairs. SAAC members serve as student-athlete liaisons that monitor and discuss happenings on campuses, within conference and at the national level.
Representatives are responsible for gathering feedback and reporting on behalf of their conference, as well as relaying important events, hot topics, and educational information to both the campus and conference levels. In addition to relaying information across campuses and conferences, the committee speaks on behalf of the entire Division II student-athlete body throughout the NCAA governance structure.
Division II SAAC members serve as voting members on a number of Division II committees, including the Management Council. The SAAC also has voting authority during the Division II Business Session at the annual NCAA Convention.
"'We are excited to have Alex represent the Peach Belt Conference on the Division II National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee," said Cameron Wissel, Director of External Operations at the Peach Belt Conference. "He will do a great job and will support student-athletes across the country through the work of National SAAC. USC Beaufort has been extremely active in SAAC since joining the conference and the PBC congratulates Alex and USCB on this appointment."
Robbins, a Business Administration major with a concentration in Accounting from Lexington, South Carolina, begins service this semester and will continue through January 2029.
In the Spring 2025 Baseball season as a true freshman, Robbins competed in one game and held the opposition scoreless. As a junior in the classroom, he has earned a 3.977 GPA to date. Off the field, Robbins has garnered a lot of attention for his leadership abilities as the President of Sand Sharks in Business. Additional on campus involvement Robbins participates in includes Fellowship of Christian Athletes and SAAC – via the APPLE Team subcommittee.
"Alex's appointment to the National SAAC is a true testament to his leadership and commitment to the student-athlete experience," said University of South Carolina Beaufort Interim Director of Athletics Genia Montford. "This opportunity not only elevates his voice on a national level but also positions USCB to contribute meaningfully as we continue to grow as a proud NCAA Division II and Peach Belt Conference member."
The committee consists of 28 members, including representatives from each of the 23 Division II multisport voting conferences, one representative of Division II independent institutions, two at-large representatives, and two members of the Management Council. The two members of the Management Council and one member of the Presidents Council serve as ex-officio and nonvoting members.
The Division II SAAC Nominating Subcommittee selects national committee members from a diverse pool of candidates that conference offices submit. The Division II Administrative Committee ratifies the appointments, and each student-athlete serves a non-renewable three-year term; however the student-athlete may serve only up to one year after exhausting his or her eligibility.
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