By Robert McKinney, Assistant Athletics Director, Communications

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University student-athletes Ryan Johns (Jr., OL, Las Vegas, NV/Liberty HS) from football and Ashley Collins (Jr., Post, Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills HS) from women's basketball have been elected to the 2023-24 Northwest Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Executive Board. The NWC SAAC provides a connection between student-athletes in the conference and the NWC Office, coaching groups, and the NCAA.

Johns will be the NWC SAAC vice president. Collins will serve as the NWC SAAC communications coordinator.

"What I am looking forward to the most is being able to serve every student-athlete at our amazing institution and in our amazing conference to the best of my ability," Johns said.  "I am proud to be a Northwest Conference student-athlete, and I want to make sure every other student-athlete feels proud as well."

"I will continue working on communication outreach to all of the athletes within our conference," Collins commented. "I feel like I have created a social media presence here for Willamette's SAAC and am hoping to do the same for NWC SAAC. I also will be meeting and engaging with other athletes within SAAC who are also passionate about improving the overall athletic experience at each of our schools.

It will be a benefit to Willamette that both Johns and Collins will be serving on the NWC SAAC Executive Board at the same time.

"With Ashley and I being on the NWC SAAC Executive Board next year, it will allow us to not only voice Willamette SAAC's opinions on efforts and issues within the Northwest Conference, but it also will allow us to be fully in the loop and up to date with all of the conference's dealings that affect us at all times," Johns commented.

"It's very exciting to have both Ryan and Ashley serving on the NWC SAAC Executive Board for the 2023-24 year," Willamette Director of Swimming and SAAC Advisor Brent Summers said. "This will be Ryan's third year serving and Ashley's first. I'm excited for them to be involved at a conference level and I'm looking forward to the ideas they will bring to our SAAC and student-athletes over the next year." 

Collins has specific responsibilities on the NWC SAAC as the communications coordinator.

"My responsibilities will include running the NWC SAAC Instagram page, working on graphics that show off various achievements by our conference, as well as several other tasks that have not been established quite yet."

Johns and Collins want to do more than just the basic requirements of being on the NWC SAAC. They look forward to a successful and active year in 2023-24.

"I want to help NWC SAAC become more known throughout the athletic programs within our conference, since many athletes at all schools are unaware of what SAAC is and what we do," Collins affirmed. "I would also like to help NWC SAAC accomplish greater community service and outreach opportunities throughout the Pacific Northwest because all of our universities make up a great portion of communities in this area."

The experiences Johns and Collins have gained by being on the Willamette SAAC have been beneficial for them as students and as leaders. They've also gained knowledge of Willamette and NWC that will help them as board members with the NWC SAAC.

"On a more personal level, when I began working with SAAC, I was young and unsure of what I wanted to do for my community and what I wanted to do as a career," Johns noted. "The tireless work I have often put in has shown me a path. I wish to serve the people. And for now, I will do everything I can to serve the student-athletes I represent!"

"My time thus far on SAAC has been the most rewarding experience at Willamette because it has allowed me to grow in various different ways on top of being a student-athlete," Collins said. "Since being on SAAC, I have experienced how we have continuously beaten our prior goals when it comes to providing back to the community around us. This past year, we surpassed our canned food donation by over three times the amount we did in 2021-22 and we also implemented more community service in addition to our food drive. I think I have helped spread the word and create greater engagement around SAAC events through the creation of graphics and having a social media presence more so than in past years. There are also many things that I cannot wait to start implementing next year into WU SAAC as it relates to mental health awareness specifically in student-athletes since it is something I am very passionate about along with other members."

Collins' focus on the upcoming year includes the NWC SAAC as well as the Willamette SAAC. She is glad to be able to face those challenges at the conference level as one of two Willamette members on the NWC SAAC Executive Board rather than on her own.

"I think it will benefit Willamette student athletes and the Athletic Department in several ways since both Ryan and I will be not only working with the NWC board and voting on important matters, but we will also be on the WU SAAC Board. By being directly involved with the conference, we can best relay any issues or ideas we may have that come directly from our experiences at Willamette and take feedback from coaches and our Athletic Department into how the NWC can best support our athletes."