XU's Balleste, Williams named to NAIA Association of Student-Athletes

NEW ORLEANS — Xavier University of Louisiana's Vashni Balleste (women's tennis) and Kailey Williams (women's outdoor track and field) are among 27 selected to serve on the NAIA's proposed Association of Student-Athletes, a new group to be added to the NAIA governance structure if approved at the annual convention in April.

The ASA would be the NAIA's first governance group made up entirely of students, and it would function as the advocacy arm of the student-athlete collective. The ASA will include at least one representative from every conference, including the Association of Independent Institutions, and every NAIA championship sport.

Balleste is from Rock Tavern, N.Y., and a graduate of Washingtonville High School. Williams is from Fort Worth, Texas, and a graduate of Martin High School. Both are sophomores on their teams' rosters.

Xavier is the only NAIA member with more than one selected to the ASA.

Selection of the student-athlete representatives prior to convention was to ensure that the ASA could be functioning fully for the 2015-16 academic year. Each representative will serve a two-year term. However, in the first year of the ASA, half the representatives will be randomly selected to end their term early to create a staggered rollover each year.

"The ASA will allow student-athletes to have an input on the issues that directly impact them every day," said Kent Paulson, Chair of the Conference Commissioners Association and Frontier Conference commissioner. "This group will have the unique opportunity to discuss matters most important to them on the NAIA's biggest stage."

Members of the proposed ASA were selected from a pool of nominees forwarded to the NAIA's national office by each conference and the A.I.I.

The ASA will be an association under the proposed Council for Student-Athletes (CSA), a new council that focuses on student-athlete health, safety and development, also to be approved at convention. The CSA will comprise representatives from other councils as well as nine members of the ASA, including the four officers.

Some of the topics the ASA will discuss in the coming year include the student-athlete experience, health and safety of student-athletes and Champions of Character initiatives.

The NAIA will conduct its 74th annual national convention April 10-14 in Charlotte, N.C.

Ed Cassiere, Sports Information Director  
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