KANSAS CITY, Mo. –Missouri Western State University’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee won the Association’s SAAC Cup for the second straight year. The Griffons’ SAAC totaled an MIAA-leading 12,545 points in the 2025-26 academic year to become back-to-back SAAC Cup champions.
 
Missouri Western SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) dominated the 2025-26 SAAC Cup competition to claim the university’s third overall SAAC Cup (2025-26, 2024-25, 2018-29). Missouri Southern was the runner-up of the SAAC Cup standings with 7,557 points, followed by Nebraska Kearney with 7,080 points.
 
The MIAA will present MWSU SAAC members with the 2025-26 SAAC Cup at the Association’s 2026 Awards Celebration Ceremony on Monday, June 1, at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Mo.
 
The Griffons held 12 on-campus SAAC meetings throughout the 2025-26 academic year, in addition to hosting multiple community engagement events on campus. They also participated in numerous community service events within the St. Joseph community and conducted several community service campaigns and drives.
 
Griffon SAAC raised a total of $7,295 in gifts and donations during the 2025-26 academic year. Student-athletes raised money for the annual “Griffs Giving Gifts” initiative, where MWSU SACC supplied Christmas presents for eight large families in need. The committee also raised money to host its annual Easter Egg Hunt for local children and families.
 
First awarded in 2012-13, the SAAC Cup is an annual competition between the MIAA’s 14 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) groups. MIAA SAACs have the opportunity to earn points throughout the academic year, and the institution with the most points at the end of the year wins the Association’s SAAC Cup. Cup points are awarded based on a SAAC’s performance in six different categories and combined for a grand point total. Institutions must achieve points in all six categories to be eligible to win the Cup.
 
The six categories included in the MIAA SAAC Cup point system are:

1. Community Service/Engagement – Receive 250 points for each SAAC-organized community service/engagement project.
2. Partnered Community Service/Engagement – Receive 100 points for each SAAC-organized community service/engagement project in partnership with a corporate sponsor.
3. Financial Donations –  Receive one point for every dollar fundraised by and/or donated to SAAC.
4. Legislative Gold – Receive 500 points for completing the NCAA SAAC Legislative Grid and returning it to the MIAA Division II SAAC representative by the required due date.
5. On-Campus Meetings – Receive 100 points for each on-campus SAAC meeting. Institutions are allowed to report a maximum of two meetings each month.
6. MIAA Meetings – Receive 250 points for each attendee (a maximum of two) at MIAA SAAC meetings and conference calls