Student-Athletes Shine on Stage
4/6/2010 10:08:53 PM | General
Every day, Syracuse University student-athletes showcase their athletic skills on the field. On Tuesday night, they were able to show off their hidden talents at the first Student-Athlete Talent Show sponsored by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Otto's Army at the Schine Underground. All proceeds from the event went to the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation (www.friendsofjaclyn.org).
“It was our first talent show that we put on, so we didn't quite know what to expect,” said softball student-athlete Kelly Saco, who helped with the marketing efforts. “We kind of threw the word out kind of late. I was really happy with how it turned out. A lot of people came out and we had a great variety of people.”
Freshman Samantha Hinz and sophomore Ashley Williams (volleyball) won the competition with their singing duet. The pair will have a chance to perform at the annual 'Cuse Awards on April 29th.
“I did the talent show because I enjoy performing,” Hinz said. “It's nice to get a break from all the sports – it was a different atmosphere. I was a different kind of nervous than when I play a volleyball match, but it was good.”
The event was co-hosted by campus TV and radio personality, Mark Zito, and women's lacrosse student-athlete, Tee Ladouceur. The night featured a guest panel of familiar faces, including strength and conditioning Olympic sports director Veronica Dyer, assistant strength and conditioning coach Dan Pribula, and assistant equipment manager Jim Schlensker, who judged the contestants and determined a winner.
The lineup included duets performed by Hinz and Williams and sophomores Mary and Naomi Carlson (rowing). Junior Jarret Eaton (track and field) and senior Da'Mon Merkerson (football, track and field), and junior Mikela Almeida (rowing) provided dance performances. Sophomore Dan Vaughn (football) and graduate student Jay Hubbard (sports medicine) performed on the acoustic guitar.
