Kyla Bruhn Will Represent the Big West on NCAA Division I National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee

Story courtesy of The Big West

IRVINE, Calif. — Kyla Bruhn of the UC San Diego women’s water polo team will represent The Big West as a member of the NCAA Division I National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

The Division I National SAAC is committed to being proactive in service and representation of all 160,000 Division I student-athletes. 

 

The committee’s mission is to enhance the total student-athlete experience by protecting student-athlete well-being, fostering a positive student-athlete image and inclusive student-athlete environment, and promoting student-athlete engagement at the national, conference and local levels. The Division I Governance structure gives the Division I SAAC a seat at the table to comment and react to legislative proposals, issues of interest and actions of the Division.

Bruhn’s term on The NCAA SAAC began June 1 and will continue through June 30, 2026.

A sophomore attacker from Rancho Bernardo in San Diego County, Bruhn scored six points on three goals and three assists over the 2025 season. The Tritons advanced to the semifinal round of the Big West Championship. At Rancho Bernardo High School, she was a three-time team captain and team MVP.

Bruhn is a human development major at UC San Diego.

“As a member of the D1 NCAA SAAC, I hope to represent the Big West passionately and to advocate for the student-athlete experience.” Bruhn said. “By developing relationships with other student-athletes and administrative members across the nation, I aim to learn how to empower, unite, and protect student-athletes.” 

 

Bruhn also spoke about UC San Diego and how the experience on campus has helped prepare her for this special opportunity. 

 

“Serving as UC San Diego’s Big West Undivided representative this school year inspired me to expand my efforts to a national level to advocate for the student-athletes impacted by policies that are created in spaces where our voices are underrepresented.”  Bruhn said. “I will continue to learn from the practices, successes, and cultures reflected by the institutions in my conference, and across other conferences. I am excited to represent my team, UC San Diego, and The Big West!” 

Angie Allen, Assistant Commissioner/Compliance & Student-Athlete Engagement from The Big West, also shared enthusiasm for Bruhn representing the conference at the national level.  

“We are proud to have Kyla representing the Big West on the NCAA Division I SAAC. Her passion and leadership make her a powerful advocate for our student-athletes.” said Allen. “We are confident that she will champion their voices, stand firm in the face of challenges, and work tirelessly to advance equity, opportunity, and the future of collegiate athletics. This appointment is not only an honor—it is a call to serve, and Kyla is more than ready to answer that call.” 

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About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of The Big West in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world’s preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.