Bradley Young ‘26, a senior from South Plainfield, New Jersey majoring in Criminology at SUNY Old Westbury, was selected to be one of 40 Division III student athletes from around the country in attendance at the Division III Student Immersion Program as part of the annual NCAA Convention.
The convention, held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, earlier this year, serves to celebrate student-athletes and expand their knowledge and understanding of the governance involved in the NCAA through workshops, panel discussions and keynote speakers. Over the course of the four-day event, the program facilitated conversations between student-athletes and administrators, coaches and national office staff.
Nominated by Athletic Director Lenore Walsh, Young, the captain of the campus' Panther men's basketball team, was excited to learn about this competitive professional development and leadership opportunity. His group of 40 participants are among the approximately 210,000 NCAA Division III athletes competing during the 2025-2026 year.
"Bradley earned his nomination through putting his leadership qualities into meaningful practice and contributing positively to our campus community," said Walsh. "His passion for the game, diligence as a student, and respect towards those around him embody what it means to be a student-athlete at SUNY Old Westbury."
Young’s representation of SUNY Old Westbury at the convention was a surreal feeling for him.
“It really hit me when I got there and saw my name and ‘Old Westbury’ on the name tag,” Young said. “I just want people to know Old Westbury in the future and I just want to see Old Westbury continue to rise.”
During the program, Young was able to provide his insights and feedback about the student immersion program and contribute to meaningful conversations regarding supporting student athletes. He considers the desire for and respect of his input by program leaders to be an honor and highlight of the program. In addition to networking with leaders in the NCAA, Young created connections and friendships with the other student-athletes.
Young continues to benefit from the experience. He was paired with a mentor at the program, Director of Athletics and Chair of Physical Education T.J. Shelton from Case Western Reserve University, who he continues to receive support from.
“I think that was very beneficial to just gain insight from somebody who's from the position I want to get to one day and works in that structure,” said Young.
Young noted the importance of mentorship, citing the positive influences and advice he has also received from his coaches Bernard Tomlin and Leonard Pitt at SUNY Old Westbury. Young intends to pursue graduate school with the goal of becoming a college basketball coach.