Swimming & Diving 7/29/2026 10:00:00 AM

2026-27 Metro SAAC Executive Board Announced

The Metro Conference has announced its Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Executive Board for the 2026-27 academic year. Shelby Dyer of Rider University has been named Chair, Cassandra Ercoli of Canisius University has been selected as Vice Chair, and Jaylyn Simon of Iona University has been appointed Secretary/D1 National SAAC Representative.

Metro SAAC Chair, Dyer will enter her senior year at Rider, where she is a member of the softball team pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Healthcare Administration. A three-time Academic Honor Roll honoree, Dyer was also named to the 2025 Conference All-Championship Team after batting .357 with a .538 on-base percentage. Dyer has been a member of SAAC since 2023, helping organize events for student-athletes with an emphasis on community service and fostering stronger connections between athletics and the broader student body. She is also a member of the Gail Bierenbaum Women's Leadership Council, where she serves as a mentor to underclassman and participates in workshops focused on professional development and building connections with external mentors.

Ercoli, the Metro SAAC Vice Chair, is a member of the Canisius swimming and diving team. A two-time recipient of conference Academic Honor Roll recognition, Ercoli has recorded a personal best at each of her last three conference swimming & diving championships, posting a time of 2:09.64 in the 200-yard individual medley in 2024, 1:04.46 in the 100-yard breaststroke in 2025, and 2:24.38 in the 200-yard breaststroke in 2026. A native of Montreal, Quebec, Ercoli is entering her senior year while pursuing a bachelor's degree in Sports Journalism with a minor in Sports Management. She has served as a SAAC representative since 2024 and is involved with Canisius ESPN Broadcasting, where she has gained hands-on experience in broadcasting and camera production. She also contributes to The Griffin, Canisius' student newspaper, where she has written more than 15 articles covering sports.

Simon has been named Secretary/D1 National SAAC Representative. Entering her junior year at Iona, Simon is majoring in Economics and is a member of the Gaels' volleyball team. A two-time Academic Honor Roll honoree, Simon has excelled both academically and athletically during her first two seasons at Iona. Simon has already begun her duties as the Metro Conference's D1 National SAAC Representative, attending her first in-person meeting with fellow conference representatives in Indianapolis in July. In her new role, she will represent the interests and perspectives of the Metro student-athletes while collaborating with student-athlete leaders from across the country on issues impacting the Division I student-athlete experience.

"We're incredibly excited to have Shelby, Cassandra and Jaylyn serving as our 2026-27 Metro SAAC Executive Board," Metro Conference Associate Commissioner for Compliance & Student-Athlete Development AJ Schaufler said. "Each distinguished themselves throughout the selection process, bringing unique strengths in leadership, creativity and advocacy. As Chair and Vice Chair, Shelby and Cassandra will work with SAAC leaders across our member institutions to develop and implement conference-wide initiatives that enhance the student-athlete experience. Jaylyn will represent the Metro student-athletes as our D1 National SAAC Representative, serving as their voice at the national level alongside student-athlete leaders from conferences across the country. We're looking forward to all they will accomplish and the impact they will have throughout the year."

The Metro Conference SAAC provides student-athletes with a platform to have a voice within the conference and advocate for initiatives that enhance the overall student-athlete experience. Its mission is "To enhance the student-athlete experience across the Metro Conference by creating leadership and development opportunities while uniting campuses and communities through service, advocacy and collaboration."

In support of its commitment to community engagement, the Executive Board will launch and oversee the inaugural Metro Conference Community Service Award. The award will recognize outstanding community engagement across the conference, with one institution selected at the conclusion of the academic year for demonstrating an exceptional commitment to service and making a meaningful impact beyond the playing field.

The 2026-27 Executive Board will also introduce new initiatives and priorities throughout the upcoming academic year. Institutional SAAC presidents and vice presidents from across the conference will participate in monthly virtual meetings to collaborate on student-athlete initiatives, exchange ideas and share best practices.

The conference's annual in-person SAAC meeting is scheduled for Oct. 2-4 at Mount St. Mary's University and will bring together two SAAC representatives from each member institution. Throughout the three-day event, student-athletes will participate in professional and student-athlete development programming planned and led by the Metro SAAC Executive Board, while working collaboratively on initiatives aimed at enhancing the student-athlete experience across the conference.

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Players Mentioned

Cassandra Ercoli: 5' 5"; Junior

Players Mentioned

Cassandra Ercoli
: 5' 5"; Junior