RAPID CITY, S.D. --- Members of the South Dakota Mines (SAAC) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee traveled to Anaheim, California this past weekend from April 8-10th to attend the Division II SAAC Super Region Convention. 
 
Representing South Dakota Mines were Jake Martinelli and Daunte Robbins (members of the football team and Bailey Johnson (member of the women's basketball team). 
 
Representatives from conferences across the Midwest and West were in attendance.  South Dakota Mines and several other schools from the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference attended the conference. 
 
While at the conference, the student-athletes were able to hear speakers on subjects such as Impact of the Student-Athlete Voice, Mental Health, Life After Athletics, and Social Justice.  They also had time to attend breakout sessions and discuss these topics with other student-athletes from other conferences. 
 
"The SAAC Super Region Convention was a great experience," said Johnson.  "I learned so much from the speakers on mental health, diversity and inclusion which led to some ideas I would love to start implementing on our own campus here at South Dakota Mines."
 
"Not only did this trip give me inspiration for hundreds of projects that could and should take place at SD Mines," added Robbins.  "It also allowed me to look inward towards my own biases, my mental health, as well as my identity as an athlete."
 
"The amount of other Division II athletes we were able to connect with and talk about relevant issues within our campuses was amazing," stated Martinelli. "The guest speakers provided so much useful information we as SAAC can implement here at South Dakota Mines to improve our athletic department as a whole and further improve the entire student population on campus."

About South Dakota Mines
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 11 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.