May 30, 2017
INDIANAPOLIS ââ'¬" A pair of Penn State student-athletes, Casey Francis (East Meadow, N.Y.) and Katia Blik (Moscow, Russia), were selected to attend the NCAA's Career in Sports Forum in Indianapolis, Thursday-Sunday.
Francis and Blik both recently concluded their senior seasons for the Nittany Lion women's swimming and women's tennis teams, respectively, and will join a Big Ten contingent of 14 student-athletes at the event. The eighth annual gathering includes more than 230 current student-athletes, NCAA scholarship and grant recipients with an interest in working within the sports industry. Participants who expressed an interest in pursuing a career in sports, and who were viewed as leaders on their campus, were invited to apply to attend the forum after a nomination by athletics administrators at their respective schools. Many current and past attendees are members of their school's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), the student-athlete voice within the NCAA governance structure. The selection committee is comprised of administrators and coaches within the NCAA, many former forum participants themselves.
Francis, who served on Penn State's Student-Athlete Advisory Board as treasurer and participated in the Athletic Director's Leadership Institute, is a three-time Collegiate Swimming Coaches Association Scholar All-American and graduated with a degree in kinesiology. Other academic accolades include Big Ten Distinguished Scholar recognition and multiple selections to the Big Ten All-Academic team. Francis was a team captain this past season, a member of the 2016 Homecoming Court and received the team's "1855 Award," which is presented to the student-athletes whose improvement, transformation and personal growth mirrors that of Penn State since its founding. In the pool, Francis qualified for and participated in the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships three times and the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials. She held the school's mile record for over a year and currently holds the McCoy Natatorium record in the event.
Blik, also an Athletic Director's Leadership Institute participant, recently concluded her senior season with the Nittany Lion women's tennis team. Blik manned the No. 1 spot for Penn State all season long and posted a solid 14-15 overall record, including a 7-9 mark at No. 1 singles in dual meets. Blik leaves Penn State with 42 career wins in singles and 41 career doubles victories. Blik was a multiple winner of Academic All-Big Ten honors.
"Supporting NCAA student-athlete leaders with their education is a key goal for the Association," said Bernard Franklin, NCAA executive vice president of education and community engagement and chief inclusion officer. "Our Career in Sports Forum puts student-athletes, postgraduate scholarship recipients in a non-traditional academic setting where they can learn directly from successful leaders, which can have a positive impact on their future after graduation."
One of more than 45 annual conferences and seminars organized and directed by the NCAA leadership development department, the Career in Sports Forum provides college athletes with a broader scope of the career tracks available within the sports business, with the primary focus on college athletics. The forum provides student-athletes interactive experiences with successful individuals in the sports business and a peek into their day-to-day duties and responsibilities.
Forum attendees, with representation from 73 conferences, will hear from various keynote speakers and panelists, highlighted by Stevie Baker-Watson, associate vice president and director of athletics at DePauw University; Jason Burton, head women's basketball coach at the Texas A&M University-Commerce; Clyde Doughty Jr, director of athletics at Bowie State University; Oliver Luck, NCAA executive vice president of regulatory affairs; Felicia Martin, vice president of the NCAA Eligibility Center; and Craig McPhail, director of athletics at Lees-McRae College. The participants also learn best practices for gaining employment and gathering a better understanding of what future expectations will be once they get a job in sports.
The NCAA leadership development department provides professional and personal development for the entire Association, including student-athletes, coaches and administrators, through accessible resources, strategic partnerships and annual customized programming at little or no cost to the membership. For more information, please go to ncaa.org/leadershipdevelopment.
Search #LearnLead to follow the social conversation and events at the 2017 Career in Sports Forum, as well as all NCAA leadership development programs.