FRISCO, Texas – D'Youville's Logan Schwartz, Mercy's Riley Wallace, and Molloy's Kathleen Healy and Alex Russo represented the East Coast Conference at the 2025 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum (SALF) in Frisco, Texas from November 20-23. Created in 1997, the NCAA's SALF has served as a life-changing experience for more than 5,000 student-athletes who have grown personally and professionally as a result of their attendance.

Student-athletes selected to attend the forum return to campus with invaluable leadership skills, a refined understanding of the relationship among personal values, core beliefs and behavioral styles, and the support of a close personal network of like-minded peers to provide continued connection and dialogue after the program concludes. This best-in-class programming experience serves as a transformational opportunity for student-athletes and administrators to build a leadership toolkit and develop vital self-awareness that allows them to realize their potential.

"The NCAA SALF was truly an amazing experience, and I was so grateful to be present," said Schwartz, a senior member of the D'Youville men's lacrosse team. "Everyone was so friendly from the first day, and I made a lot of amazing connections in a short amount of time. One thing I valued from the experience was understanding where I can improve as a leader and tools I can use to develop those skills to help not only my team, but my school. On the last night, our teams competed in a lip sync battle that was so much fun and got me to stretch my comfort zone! I learned a lot of valuable skills from other leaders and learned that many student-athletes share similar experiences. I plan to utilize the skills I learned in not only being a student-athlete, but also for professional development. I’d like to thank the NCAA, the ECC, and D’Youville for such a great opportunity!"



"My experience at the 2025 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum exceeded my expectations," added Wallace, a junior member of the Mercy women's lacrosse team. "I learned so much not only about those around me to help lead my fellow teammates, but also about me and how I, as a person, can shape myself into a better person in order to be a stronger, more level-headed leader for myself. I gained knowledge that I can now share with my teams as well as the other sports teams on my campus. One thing I truly enjoyed about this trip was learning from others. Other athletes opening up and becoming vulnerable with people they didn’t know very well was inspiring. My favorite activity had to be the lip-sync battle between color teams. Being able to show my creative side as well as working with people I’ve never worked with before definitely got me out of my comfort zone. It taught me that you have to be uncomfortable to be comfortable. Out of my experience, I will take lessons like being able to open up and be vulnerable is what makes a true leader and knowing how to identify my strengths and use them to be be the person who sets the tone for my team."

“Hearing others' experiences and engaging in discussion was an eye-opening experience, and being surrounded by so many incredible people who were just as excited and engaged as I was made it even better!” said Healy, the ECC SAAC Chair and a senior member of the Molloy women’s cross country and track and field teams. “It was really interesting digging into the power of mindset, embracing challenges, learning from criticism, and finding lessons in the success and inspiration of others. Our group focused a lot on the power of 'yet;' even though we might not be able to do something in the moment, that doesn't mean we will never be able to. One of our most interesting topics was diving into our Gallup Strengths Test. We talked a lot about our strengths and how they help us lead, but also about how we can over-rely on these strengths or use them harmfully. We also focused on emotional intelligence and how we can use these skills to better understand our emotions and control our reactions toward others. It was an incredibly insightful and reflective weekend, where I learned so much.”



"The NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum was a transformative experience that I’m truly grateful for," added Russo, who serves as Molloy's Assistant Athletic Director for Game Operations and Associate Head Softball Coach. "I especially enjoyed hearing different perspectives and learning from student-athletes, coaches, and administrators from all over the country. My favorite activity was exploring our strengths and core values and learning how to incorporate them into our leadership styles while continuing to grow and evolve. I’ll take with me the importance of stretching our comfort zone and staying grounded in our core values."