MOBILE, Ala. – Sarah Gooch of South Alabama Volleyball was appointed as the SAAC President for the 2026-27 year.

Gooch, a native of Apopka, Fla., is a senior studying Sport Management. At South Alabama, she has earned Second-Team All-Sun Belt honors for two consecutive years and has also been named Preseason All-Sun Belt for the 2025 season. She has been involved with SAAC since she arrived in Mobile in January 2024.

As SAAC President, Gooch has several responsibilities, including engaging with the city of Mobile, strengthening connections with other students on campus and fostering a greater sense of community within the student-athlete body. She will also represent the university on the department's Intercollegiate Athletics Council.

Another key part of Gooch's role is leading approximately 40 student-athletes to help pursue SAAC's mission, which is "to promote the betterment of student-athletes throughout the athletics department, University campus, Mobile community, Sun Belt Conference and the National Collegiate Athletics Association." Gooch will replace Rhyan Connolly, a soccer athlete who also served as Chair on the Sun Belt SAAC's Executive Board.

"I am so grateful to be named the new SAAC president," says Gooch. "It means a lot that Ty and Kassidy trust me in taking this role. This role is super important to me because it gives me the opportunity to represent the voices of all student-athletes and help create a positive impact within our athletic department."

"As a student-athlete, I understand the importance of leadership, communication, and teamwork both on and off the field. I look forward to working with other student-athletes, coaches and university staff to strengthen our programs, promote student-athlete well-being and encourage our involvement across campus and in the Mobile community."

"Sarah is an incredible leader on the volleyball court and in our department," says Associate Athletic Director of Compliance & Cap Management, Ty Singletary. "It is rare that a student-athlete who has as many athletic accolades as Sarah pursues an off-the-court leadership position like being the SAAC president. Sarah has worked with SAAC since she arrived in Mobile, and I could not be more excited for her to continue the progress the committee has made over the past few years."

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