Friday, January 8, 2021

Part of a regular series.

Throughout the year, GNACsports.com uses this space to profile conference student-athletes who are members of their respective institutions’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In addition to providing feedback on the student-athlete experience, conference and institutional SAAC members also offer input on the rules, regulations and policies that affect student-athletes’ lives on NCAA member institution campuses.

Name: Bridgette Bourgouin
Sport: Volleyball
Institution: Saint Martin's University
Year: Junior
Major: Chemistry
Minor: Biology
Hometown: Chino Hills, California

Why Did You Choose To Attend Saint Martin’s?: I decided to attend Saint Martin’s because I wanted to play volleyball while earning a degree.

What Is Your Favorite Class You Have Taken And Why?: My favorite class so far was Organic Chemistry. I enjoyed this class because it was when I realized I wanted to major in chemistry. Even though it was a fairly difficult class, it was rewarding and showed me that I would be able to deal with the tougher classes in my chemistry major.

Who Is Your Favorite Professor And What Did You Enjoy About Learning From Him Or Her?: My favorite professor is Britney Bradley. She is very helpful when I have questions and is a fantastic mentor when it comes to the pre-med track.

Years Involved In SAAC: One year.

The Reason You Chose To Get Involved In SAAC: I wanted to become more involved within the world of athletics at Saint Martin’s. Sports have been a huge part of my life so far and I found it important to be a part of positive changes in the athletic department.

How Do You Feel Participating In SAAC Will Help You In Life After You Graduate?: I think SAAC will teach me how to advocate for issues in whatever field I end up in after college.

What Does It Mean To You To Be A Division II Student-Athlete?: Being a Division II student-athlete means a lot to me. It shows that my hard work in high school paid off. Having success at this level is rewarding.

What Is The Most Important Thing You’ve Learned About Balancing Athletics And Academics?: Time management is key. With a challenging academic schedule and the demands of a sport, it’s easy to fall behind if I don't effectively manage my time.

Biggest Obstacle Overcome During Your Collegiate Career: Dealing with injuries and setbacks on the volleyball court.

Favorite Thing About Competing In The GNAC: How competitive everyone is.

Most Memorable Sports-Related Moment: When I got my first opportunity to play at the college level during my freshman season and had three blocks against Western Washington.

If You Could Change One NCAA Rule, It Would Be: A student-athlete should be able to profit off of his or her name, image and likeness.

Current Mentor(s): Dan Behnke, Britney Bradley, Ula Kamaka and D'Janae Robinson.

Best Advice You’d Give To An Incoming Freshman: Failure and setbacks are a huge part of the college experience. It’s important to take these hits and learn from them to better yourself and those around you.

If You Could Spend The Day With One Person (Past Or Present), Who Would It Be (And Why)?: Morgan Wallen because he is my favorite country singer.

Extracurricular Activities: I am a teaching assistant in the chemistry department.

Future Goals After Graduation: Get accepted into medical school and eventually become a doctor.

Favorite Sports Team: Seattle Seahawks.

Favorite Athlete: Mike Trout.

One Thing People Don’t Know About You Is: I have been to Europe multiple times.