June 3, 2008

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Bowling Green State University gymnast Katie Follett was chosen to attend the NCAA National Student-Athlete Leadership Development Conference, which was held May 27-29. The conference was held at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.

Selection for the NCAA Leadership Conference is quite the honor for Follett, seeing as only one student-athlete per NCAA-affiliated university was selected to attend the conference.

The conference is designed to provide the student athlete's with the opportunity to enhance their leadership, communication, decision-making and problem-solving skills. Topics for past conferences have included developing leadership skills; changing perception; developing political skills and utilizing the student-athlete committee.

Follett, a rising senior, carries a 3.18 grade point average as an Exercise Specialist major. Last season she posted a career best on beam with a score of 9.700 at the All-Ohio Championships (Feb 3).

Football's Josh Harris (2002) was the first Falcon to attend the conference in the summer of 2002. Since then hockey's D'Arcy McConvey (2003) and Alex Rogosheske (2004), gymnastics' Jessica Guyer (2005) and Sakura Tomita (2006) and men's soccer's Brent Petkus (2007) have each represented the Orange and Brown.

The NCAA National Student-Athlete Development Conference provides a diverse group of NCAA student-athletes with the opportunity to participate in challenging activities that will allow them to become better leaders on their campuses and in their communities. The conference involves up to 700 student-athletes, who are nominated through their institution. Nominees are student-athletes who have demonstrated a strong desire to be leaders and would standout as those who will benefit from a significant leadership experience. In order to be eligible, applicants must be in good academic standing and must have athletics eligibility remaining in the following academic year.

The NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference was created in 1996 by the NCAA foundation.