SUWANEE, Ga. – The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference office announced today that the University of St. Thomas (Tex.) Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is the winner of the league’s “Change For The Better” campaign, marking the second time in the last three years that the UST SAAC has earned top honors.
St. Thomas won the 2026 competition with a total of $873.00 raised for the Celts to Cure campaign, honoring the lasting legacy of Dr. Jack Follis while continuing the mission inspired by alumnus David Gonzalez.
St. Thomas joins Texas Lutheran, who has won the SCAC Change for the Better crown a league-best seven times, as the only other SAAC to win the honor multiple times.
Dr. Follis made a meaningful and lasting impact on UST Athletics and the broader campus community through his dedication, leadership, and commitment to student-athletes.
Celts to Cure is an initiative that began as a personal mission of UST alumnus David Gonzalez, Class of 2020. Diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness and affects approximately one in every 5,000 males, David sought to bring awareness and advocacy to the UST community.
Inspired by the national Coach to Cure initiative, David partnered with UST Athletics to create Celts to Cure, uniting student-athletes, SAAC, and the campus community in support of those impacted by Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. What began as one alumnus' vision has grown into a defining movement within UST Athletics.
"Celts to Cure is special because it brings together everyone in the UST community to stand in solidarity with those affected by Duchenne," said Gonzalez. "The event isn't just about raising funds—it's about connecting and sharing the real impact of this disease. Every year, we see how the compassion and energy of the UST community make a real difference."
Other participating SCAC SAAC endeavors included Hendrix College, University of Dallas, Texas Lutheran University, Colorado College and University of the Ozarks (Ark.) all raising $250 or more dollars for their respective charities.
Approved by the SCAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee in 2015, the "Change for the Better" contest allows each member institution to collect as much change as possible from fans, parents and students in support of a chosen charity over the course of one week during the conference basketball season.
Nine of the league’s 12 Student-Athlete Advisory Committees participated in this year's effort to raise $3,271.31 for various charitable organizations. This year’s amount raised represents the sixth-most raised during a single SCAC SAAC “Change For The Better” Campaign during the league’s history.
In the 10-year history of the event, league SAACs have made an impressive $32,798.82 worth of charitable contributions via the "Change For the Better" campaign.
The results for this year's initiative, with the school's chosen charity, are listed below:
- University of St. Thomas - Celts to Cure ($873.00)
- Hendrix College - Morgan's Message ($612.00)
- University of Dallas - Lexi Stinson Cancer Fund ($485.97)
- Texas Lutheran University - Texas Parasport ($353.12)
- Colorado College - Tessa ($331.59)
- University of the Ozarks (Ark.) - Ozarks Rape Crisis Center ($263.31)
- Austin College - The Jed Foundation ($202.32)
- Centenary College - Geaux 4 Kids ($100.00)
- Concordia University (Tex.) - Ronald McDonald House ($50.00)
