Kyla Bruhn of UC San Diego will represent The Big West as a member of the NCAA Division I National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). The Division I National SAAC is committed to being proactive in service and representation of all 160,000 Division I student-athletes.
The committee's mission is to enhance the total student-athlete experience by protecting student-athlete well-being, fostering a positive student-athlete image and inclusive student-athlete environment, and promoting student-athlete engagement at the national, conference and local levels. The Division I Governance structure gives the Division I SAAC a seat at the table to comment and react to legislative proposals, issues of interest and actions of the Division. Bruhn's term on The NCAA SAAC begins June 1 and will continue through June 30, 2026.
Bruhn is an attacker on UC San Diego's women's water polo team. The Rancho Bernado, Calif. native was a member of last year's Triton team that advanced to the semifinal round of the 2025 Big West Women's Water Polo Championship.
"As a member of the D1 NCAA SAAC, I hope to represent the Big West passionately and to advocate for the student-athlete experience." Bruhn said. "By developing relationships with other student-athletes and administrative members across the nation, I aim to learn how to empower, unite, and protect student-athletes."
Bruhn also spoke about UCSD and how the experience on campus has helped prepare the junior for this special opportunity.
"Serving as UC San Diego's Big West Undivided representative this school year inspired me to expand my efforts to a national level to advocate for the student-athletes impacted by policies that are created in spaces where our voices are underrepresented." Bruhn said. "I will continue to learn from the practices, successes, and cultures reflected by the institutions in my conference, and across conferences. I am excited to represent my team, UC San Diego, and The Big West!"
Angie Allen, Assistant Commissioner/Compliance & Student-Athlete Engagement from The Big West, also shared enthusiasm for Bruhn representing the conference at the national level.
"We are proud to have Kyla representing the Big West on the NCAA Division I SAAC. Her passion and leadership make her a powerful advocate for our student-athletes." said Allen. "We are confident that she will champion their voices, stand firm in the face of challenges, and work tirelessly to advance equity, opportunity, and the future of collegiate athletics. This appointment is not only an honor—it is a call to serve, and Kyla is more than ready to answer that call."
To learn more about the NCAA Division I SAAC click here.