MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN ATHLETICS -YEAR 2
STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SAAC) VI.
Does your institution have a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee in place per NCAA Constitution 6.1.4?
YES DEDRICK BURNETT, SAAC Advisor / Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach Burnett joined The W staff during the 2019-20 season as the assistant coach for cross country and track and field. He took over the head coach duties on an interim basis in 2020-21 and, in 2021-22 had the interim tag removed as the head coach of all six teams for the Owls. Burnett serves as The W’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Advisor, immediately organizing and getting the organization involved in campus and community events. Among those activities is the campus Oktoberfest fundraiser, as well as a Thanksgiving food drive which benefited both the United Way and campus food pantries. Prior coming to The W, Burnett spent seven years in Jackson, Miss. as the equipment manager and graduate assistant coach at Jackson State University and a volunteer coach with the Mississippi Trackstars summer track club for youth athletes ages 6-18. Volunteering with young athletes has been a desire of Burnett since he graduated from high school. Burnett has had the opportunity to coach several young athletes who qualified to compete at the USATF Junior Olympics Championships with some securing national medals and All-American honors. As a student-athlete at Jackson State, Burnett competed in the decathlon, 800-meter run, 400 hurdles, long jump, pole vault, and threw the javelin. His coaches best describe him as a “Swiss Army Knife” because he was able to compete in so many events. He was a three-time allconference performer for his performance during the indoor seasons and four-time allconference performer for outdoor competitions. Burnett is a native of Mobile, Ala., where he attended John L. LeFlore High School and graduating with an Advanced Honor Diploma in 2006. He later attended JSU and graduated with his B.S. in health, physical education, and recreation administration in 2012.
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