WESTWOOD, Mass. – The New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) has announced that Mount Holyoke College student-athlete Ireland Clare Kennedy has been selected as the National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Associate Member for the conference.
"The NEWMAC is excited that Ireland was selected by the membership to represent the conference through the NCAA Division III SAAC Associate Member program," expressed Executive Director Patrick B. Summers. "We know she will represent the diverse views and perspectives of the conference and be a conduit between the NCAA Division III National SAAC, the conference office and our institutions. It's an exciting opportunity for any student and I know the conference office is excited to work with and support Ireland."
Clare Kennedy was chosen by the conference members to represent the NEWMAC as an Associate Member on the NCAA Division III National SAAC for a two-year appointment and will work alongside New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) National SAAC Member Annabelle Feist. Among the objectives and duties for the position, include enhancing student-athlete leadership in the governance of intercollegiate athletics at the national, conference/independent and institutional levels. Additionally, she will be in attendance at the NCAA Convention in January and National SAAC meetings in July.
"I have gained so much through my participation in athletics and it has been amazing to be able to represent my team on the MHC SAAC," said Clare Kennedy. "To be able to represent Mount Holyoke and the NEWMAC on a national scale is an incredible honor. I work with so many inspiring and successful people, and to be able to represent them is simply an honor and a privilege."
A native of Oakland, Calif., Clare Kennedy played in all 24 games for the Lyons basketball team during the 2017-18 season, including 10 as a starter. She averaged 2.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per game, while recording 18 steals on the season. As a member of the MHC outdoor track & field team, Clare Kennedy posted 10 top-10 finishes across a number of events, including a season-best fifth in the javelin throw with a distance of 29.61 meters at the Lyons Spring Fling Invite in April.
Clare Kennedy also served as a representative for her squad on the Mount Holyoke SAAC, acting as a liaison between the team and the administration. She worked on the media and communications sub-committee to help advertise events surrounding Division III and the Lyons varsity teams to the greater college community.
Among her most expansive projects last season was the promotion of Division III Week, where Clare Kennedy helped organize events, reserve promotional space on campus and work with MHC Athletic Communications on promotion to the athletics' social media accounts.
In addition to her role on SAAC and the basketball team, Clare Kennedy was a member of the Mount Holyoke Alcohol and Drug Awareness Committee, which involved monthly meetings to discuss various initiatives and events on campus, as well as coordinating events and campus outreach.
Clare Kennedy was also an active member of the Mount Holyoke Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT), taking shifts throughout the year and contributing volunteer hours. She served as the Continuing Education Liaison on the Board in the Spring of 2018, attended weekly meetings and helped organize and coordinate CPR Certification classes, as well as EMR Certifications.
The New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference consists of 11 highly selective institutions committed to academic excellence: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
