Johns Hopkins women's tennis student-athlete Anya Gunewardena has been selected as the NCAA Division III National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) representative for the Centennial Conference. Gunewardena is slated to serve a two-year term on the committee that extends through January 2023. 

"I am so grateful to represent the views of student-athletes in the Centennial Conference," said Gunewardena. "We come from all different corners of the globe and to have that diverse representation is imperative to accomplishing goals that both the Centennial and National SAAC pose to all athletes. I am thankful to have the opportunity to unite so many different perspectives into a single vision for success."

As a member of the Division III National SAAC, Gunewardena joins other conference representatives from across the country to serve a vital role in the NCAA's governance structure. National SAAC represents the student-athlete voice in the Division III governance structure by reviewing legislation, identifying significant student-athlete issues, implementing student-athlete based initiatives, encouraging community outreach, and enhancing D3 student-athlete involvement and understanding in general. The committee meets in-person four times a year and is also responsible for maintaining and coordinating the division's nationwide partnership with Special Olympics.

Gunewardena has played an active role in JHU's SAAC as a three-year member and community service executive chair. "SAAC makes you realize that there is so much more to athletics than just competition," said Gunewardena. "Playing a sport at the collegiate level is an incredible opportunity, but also being able to represent your school and the Centennial Conference in effectively making an impact in both our direct, local and in the national student-athlete community is nothing less than a privilege."

"We are excited to partner with Anya as our NCAA National SAAC rep," said Centennial Conference Executive Director Portia Hoeg. "Working collaboratively with our student-athletes continues to be extremely impactful for our conference. As the NCAA landscape evolves, the future of decision making and communication with SAAC will be even more vital."

For more information on NCAA Division III National SAAC, click here.