Kyla Bruhn proudly represented both The Big West and UC San Diego's Triton Athletes' Council at the NCAA Division I SAAC meetings held in Indianapolis.
As the conference's student-athlete representative, the women's water polo player was joined leaders from across the country to learn, collaborate, and advocate—amplifying the student-athlete voice and driving meaningful change at the national level.
The committee's mission is to elevate the overall student-athlete experience by prioritizing well-being, promoting an inclusive and positive environment, and encouraging engagement at the national, conference, and campus levels. As part of the Division I governance structure, the NCAA Division I SAAC holds an official seat at the table, providing student-athletes with the opportunity to review, comment on, and influence legislative proposals and key issues. Bruhn's term as a member of the NCAA SAAC officially began on June 1 and will run through June 30, 2026. To learn more about
Divison 1 SAAC, click here.
Gallery: (7-18-2025) Kyla Bruhn_NCAA Visit
Below, Kyla highlights the experience at the national office and reflects on some of the things that were discussed during the trip.
What inspired you to apply to become The Big West's National SAAC Rep?
UC San Diego's Scholar Athlete Success & Leadership Coordinator and institutional SAAC advisor, Corrie Falcon, suggested that I nominate myself for this role. This year, I had the opportunity to represent UC San Diego at the conference level when I engaged in monthly Big West Undivided meetings with Charity Anderson, UC San Diego's Assistant AD of Scholar Athlete Success. Collaborating with student-athletes and administrators from other institutions in the Big West Conference, inspired me to expand my impact to the entire student-athlete experience.
At a national level, I felt confident to apply due to my experience as a fellow for Team Impact, which has taken me to Boston and Capitol Hill on separate occasions.
What did you do to prepare to attend the NCAA National SAAC Meeting? What were your expectations before you arrived there?
Currently, there are some big shifts happening within the realm of college athletics. Going into the NCAA Division I SAAC Meeting, I wanted to be as informed as possible about these materials so that I could best represent student-athletes in the Big West. I took notes beforehand and spoke with the Big West former NCAA DI SAAC Representative so that I could seamlessly transition into this role.
Coming from California, I firstly expected the other student-athletes to have accents. (They didn't for the most part.) I also expected the other student-athletes to mainly be studying political science, or something similar. In my experience, I ended up being surrounded by so many passionate, educated, and genuine student-athletes. The authentic community is what brought about transparent and productive conversations to voice the 192,000 student-athletes that compete in Division I.
Take us through the day
On the first day, I didn't know anyone's name. I arrived at the Indianapolis airport around the same time as some other DI SAAC Representatives, but I didn't know it at the time. By the third day, I knew everyone's name and felt comfortable enough to sit with anyone around the dinner table. That speaks volumes to the shared experiences that we have as student-athletes and the willingness to have different opinions and respect those differences. The respect that we have for each other in the meetings translated into all of the interactions outside of NCAA Headquarters as well. Meeting with NCAA President Charlie Baker, NCAA Litigation team, and our student-athlete liaisons in NCAA connected us directly to what I first perceived as the main decision makers in the NCAA. I quickly realized that these were not just informative meetings, they are developing relationships that are mutually enriching.
In your own words, what role does SAAC have in the decision making process at the national level and how do you plan to bring that information back to The Big West?
The governing structure within the NCAA is transitioning to increase student-athlete representation. Now is the best time to amplify the student-athlete voice to continue enhancing the student-athlete experience amidst change. I am excited to bring these practices and ideas back to the Big West SAAC to raise up underrepresented student-athlete voices, better connect institutions, and be part of discovering what will work best for us.
What were some of the key issues and initiatives that were discussed pertaining to the student athlete experience?
Topics such as the
House Settlement, Sports Betting, and Emerging Sports stood out to me as key elements of the meetings as they are heavily going to impact the student-athlete experience. Institutions and conferences will have a variety of experiences based on if they opt-in to the
House Settlement or how they currently structure certain policies. Questions such as "How will a mid-major school remain competitive in the recruiting process?" came up to raise conversation about potential outcomes in areas of Name, Image, & Likeness (NIL), the transfer portal, and more. The athletic experience is one area of a student-athlete's experience, and I am grateful to have heard a variety of perspectives on this matter.
Were there any new or creative ideas from other conferences that you would like to bring back to our league?
Amplifying student-athlete representation at the institutional level and on committees at the conference level is a goal of mine. Every institution in the Big West is unique and experiences different strengths and growth pains. I am hoping to be a resource for student-athletes in the Big West and a voice of encouragement to help them meet the student-athletes and structures of their institutions where they are at. I will bring a holistic approach with me, centering on the student-athlete experience.
What was it like connecting and collaborating with other student athlete leaders from other conferences?
Shifting from the three-hour time difference from the West Coast, I became more sociable during the mornings as the days passed, with lively conversation happening at all times of the day. Outside of meetings, student-athletes formed instant friendships by working out together, competing in card games, and grabbing coffee.
I learned so much in my interactions and from listening. I am in awe of every student-athlete that went on the mic, as they shared their personal experience during competition, their leadership at their conference SAAC, or the importance of enhancing certain resources. At NCAA Headquarters, not one student-athlete was representing themself; we represent thousands of student-athletes in our respective conferences and we carried ourselves that way.
What did it mean for you to represent UC San Diego and The Big West at the national level?
Using sport as an avenue to empower myself in more ways than one as the voice of Big West student-athletes was heavily impactful. I center my outlook on the world through learning, and with learning comes application. I'm looking forward to the application piece that follows these NCAA DI SAAC meetings to develop infrastructure to better support student-athletes in the Big West Conference and at UC San Diego. Being a STEM major at UC San Diego has helped me to carry a perspective that considers efficacy and ethics. The representatives of conference SAACs and institutional SAACs champion this by authentically serving their peers.
I am grateful to be The Big West's representative as the only water polo player, a sport that started as an emerging sport.
Favorite moments or parts from the trip?
In meetings, the way that the NCAA DI SAAC representatives indicate that they have a question or comment is by raising their microphone. One of my favorite moments that I find a little funny in retrospect is when our NCAA DI SAAC chair would close out the introduction on a policy or issue, hence opening up the room for conversation, and ten mics would shoot up in the air. I loved seeing that!
Another favorite moment that I have was our community engagement activity, when the NCAA DI SAAC representatives partnered with the Boys and Girls Club to tour the Newfields Art Museum in Indianapolis. Each representative got paired up, and got to serve somewhat as a role model to a kid. I spoke with mine about water polo a little - she had never heard of it, but now is interested in playing. We got to do some art together, and she actually made something for me that I now keep on my fridge back at home.