THE FLATS – The Atlantic Coast Conference announced its 2026-27 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Executive Board on Monday, spotlighting Georgia Tech’s Henry Gibbs (swimming and diving), who was elected as Chair for the upcoming academic year. Additionally, the conference announced its complete list SAAC representatives, which also features Georgia Tech’s Makayla Coffield (softball).
Gibbs, who was re-elected as Georgia Tech’s Student-Athlete Advisory Board president for a second term this upcoming year, was named the 2026-27 ACC SAAC Chair through a conference-wide vote of his fellow student-athletes. In addition, Gibbs will serve on the Media Committee, one of four ACC Standing Committees. Gibbs has been a member of Georgia Tech’s SAAB committee since 2024 and has been paramount in leading and supporting numerous community impact initiatives, including 404 Day, Michael Isenhour Toy Drive and visits to Ronald McDonald House.
“At both the institutional and conference levels, ACC SAAC is a trusted partner in shaping policy and priorities,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “Their voices ensure our decisions reflect the needs, ambitions and values of the more than 12,200 student-athletes who define the ACC.”
ACC SAAC provides an important connection between the conference’s student-athletes and ACC leadership, giving student-athletes a meaningful voice in legislation, governance, community engagement and initiatives that shape their collegiate experience. In addition to providing feedback on conference and NCAA matters, SAAC members support community service efforts, promote sportsmanship and help advance a positive culture throughout ACC athletics. The selected student-athlete leaders will help represent the perspectives and priorities of more than 12,200 student-athletes across the league.
The position places Gibbs at the forefront of the ACC’s efforts to ensure the student-athlete voice is represented in conference leadership and governance. ACC SAAC serves as a bridge between student-athletes and conference leadership, providing input on rules and regulations, legislation, student-athlete welfare and conference priorities.
In his role, Gibbs will help gather concerns, ideas and perspectives from student-athletes across the conference and communicate those priorities to ACC leadership. ACC student-athletes also participate in standing conference committees focused on areas including legislation, media, nominations, and infractions and sportsmanship, further expanding the role of SAAC in conference governance.
Beyond governance, Gibbs will help advance conference-wide initiatives centered on student-athlete welfare, community service, sportsmanship and promoting a positive image of college athletics.
2026-27 SAAC representatives
Executive Board
Chair — Henry Gibbs, Georgia Tech
Vice Chair — Ruben Rojas Betanzos, Syracuse
NCAA SAAC Representative — Aubrey Brown, SMU
NCAA SAAC Alternate — Temple Landry, Stanford
Communications Chair — Hailey Kravetz, Pitt
Legislation Committee — Ella Brooks, Clemson
Infractions & Sportsmanship Review Committee — Aubrey Nisbet, Wake Forest
Nominating Committee — Mackenzie Smith, NC State
Media Committee — Henry Gibbs, Georgia Tech
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
