May 16, 2016
INDIANAPOLIS --- San José State University's Isaac Thornton and Emily Vann have accepted an invitation from the NCAA to attend its seventh annual Career in Sports Forum taking place June 2-5.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.Thornton and Vann are two of four Mountain West student-athletes to receive an invitation.Thornton, a senior-to-be from San Antonio, is a rising star in the eyes of his peers among the Mountain West members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) serving as the student-athlete voice within the NCAA governance structure. As the Spartans' starting point guard, Isaac led the team in assists and steals for the second year in a row."It's fitting that Isaac would receive this invitational from the NCAA's Leadership and Development division," said head men's basketball coach Dave Wojcik. "He is a leader for our program in many different ways, the conference holds him in high regard for his responsibilities with the SAAC and he is an ambassador in the San Jose community. I'm proud that Isaac will represent SJSU men's basketball at the forum."Vann has displayed outstanding academic prowess since joining the Spartans in 2013. This past April, the Martinez, Calif., native was honored as a President's Scholar. Vann will graduate this spring with her degree in public relations. On the court last year, Van hit six three-point baskets en route to a career-high 20 points in a women's basketball late-season victory over Utah State which secured a first-round bye in the championship tournament.
"Emily has been an exceptional leader in her pursuit of academic excellence and balancing the demands of being a student-athlete," said women's basketball head coach Jamie Craighead. "Her selection to be apart of this NCAA experience speaks to her commitment to representing herself, her family, our women's basketball program and San José State University with excellence and true Spartan pride. I am proud of Emily's efforts and accomplishments during her time at SJSU, and know much success is in store for her in this next phase of her life."Forum attendees will hear from keynote speakers and panelists, highlighted by LaChina Robinson, former women's basketball player at Georgia Tech and current TV analyst; Stevie Baker-Watson, director of athletics at DePauw University; and Craig McPhail, vice president of athletics and club sports 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 at the Next Steps Fair, hosted in the NCAA Hall of Champions.