Temple University Athletics
Six Owls Attend American Athletic Conference Academic Symposium
4.25.25 | General, Men's Cross Country, Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Women's Volleyball
DENTON, Texas — A total of six members of the Temple University athletic department attended the American Athletic Conference Academic Symposium from April 10-12 at DATCU Stadium on the campus of the University of North Texas.
Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Elizabeth Taylor, Student-Athlete Development Assistant Elijah Van Dyke and student-athletes Katie Hickey (volleyball), Alex Champagne (men's soccer), David Troy (men's cross country) and Hailey Morris (women's soccer) all trekked to the Lone Star State to participate in the three-day event.
The symposium, presented by the American Athletic Conference Academic Consortium, brings together scholars and students engaged in research related to student-athlete well-being and NIL. Faculty, students and staff from The American's member institutions participated and shared information to foster the development of scholarly collaboration among the membership.
"The American Athletic Conference Academic Symposium is an opportunity for our student-athletes to engage with faculty, staff, and student-athletes around the conference in a unique manner," said Taylor. "This experience allows them to get to know other student-athletes, learn cutting-edge research related to student-athlete development and well-being, and share their experiences with folks from around the conference. This symposium is part of what makes the AAC such an amazing conference!"
"The trip was an incredible opportunity for our student-athletes to connect with other student-athletes from institutions in our conference, share their experiences at Temple and learn about other student-athletes' experiences—while also gaining valuable insights from academic research on the body, stress, wearable technology, and NIL," said Van Dyke.
Hickey said the event offered a fresh perspective on how the conference supports its athletes beyond competition.
"Attending the AAC Academic Symposium at UNT allowed me the opportunity to connect with other student-athletes in the conference, learn about current research on our bodies as well as our mental health, and also hear firsthand experiences from other student-athletes regarding NIL and branding," said Hickey. "Every speaker and message was truly impactful on my experience as an athlete and understanding just how much the AAC prioritizes community and engagement."
Morris emphasized the personal growth she gained from the weekend.
"The AAC symposium was a really great experience that taught me a lot about the importance of our physical and mental health," said Morris. "I really enjoyed creating new friendships with the student-athletes from other schools."
Troy echoed similar sentiments.
"I really enjoyed meeting student-athletes from across the conference and hearing their perspectives during the panels," said Troy. "The research on mental resilience and athlete well-being was especially impactful and gave me a lot to think about."
The American Athletic Conference Academic Consortium was founded in 2016 as a presidential initiative by the conference's member institutions to promote academic excellence and to develop opportunities for collaboration and professional development for faculty, administrators and students. The core focus of the consortium is the establishment of research and programming related to student well-being, with particular emphasis on issues surrounding college athletics. The consortium aims to foster partnerships among member institutions and develop initiatives that advance the academic mission at each institution.
Faculty Athletics Representative Dr. Elizabeth Taylor, Student-Athlete Development Assistant Elijah Van Dyke and student-athletes Katie Hickey (volleyball), Alex Champagne (men's soccer), David Troy (men's cross country) and Hailey Morris (women's soccer) all trekked to the Lone Star State to participate in the three-day event.
The symposium, presented by the American Athletic Conference Academic Consortium, brings together scholars and students engaged in research related to student-athlete well-being and NIL. Faculty, students and staff from The American's member institutions participated and shared information to foster the development of scholarly collaboration among the membership.
"The American Athletic Conference Academic Symposium is an opportunity for our student-athletes to engage with faculty, staff, and student-athletes around the conference in a unique manner," said Taylor. "This experience allows them to get to know other student-athletes, learn cutting-edge research related to student-athlete development and well-being, and share their experiences with folks from around the conference. This symposium is part of what makes the AAC such an amazing conference!"
"The trip was an incredible opportunity for our student-athletes to connect with other student-athletes from institutions in our conference, share their experiences at Temple and learn about other student-athletes' experiences—while also gaining valuable insights from academic research on the body, stress, wearable technology, and NIL," said Van Dyke.
Hickey said the event offered a fresh perspective on how the conference supports its athletes beyond competition.
"Attending the AAC Academic Symposium at UNT allowed me the opportunity to connect with other student-athletes in the conference, learn about current research on our bodies as well as our mental health, and also hear firsthand experiences from other student-athletes regarding NIL and branding," said Hickey. "Every speaker and message was truly impactful on my experience as an athlete and understanding just how much the AAC prioritizes community and engagement."
Morris emphasized the personal growth she gained from the weekend.
"The AAC symposium was a really great experience that taught me a lot about the importance of our physical and mental health," said Morris. "I really enjoyed creating new friendships with the student-athletes from other schools."
Troy echoed similar sentiments.
"I really enjoyed meeting student-athletes from across the conference and hearing their perspectives during the panels," said Troy. "The research on mental resilience and athlete well-being was especially impactful and gave me a lot to think about."
The American Athletic Conference Academic Consortium was founded in 2016 as a presidential initiative by the conference's member institutions to promote academic excellence and to develop opportunities for collaboration and professional development for faculty, administrators and students. The core focus of the consortium is the establishment of research and programming related to student well-being, with particular emphasis on issues surrounding college athletics. The consortium aims to foster partnerships among member institutions and develop initiatives that advance the academic mission at each institution.
Players Mentioned
M
/ Men's Soccer
MB
/ Women's Volleyball
D
/ Women's Soccer
/ Men's Cross Country
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