May 30, 2001

Brad Byers, a rising senior from Hudson, Ohio, is representing the University of North Carolina this week at the 2001 NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The conference, which includes 300 student-athletes from schools across the country, runs May 28 to June 1 at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex.

Byers, a member of the UNC wrestling team, was selected from a pool of more than a thousand student-athletes nominated by their schools. From the same group, Alison Stewart, a rising junior on the UNC field hockey team, was selected as a conference alternate.

During the four-day conference, student-athletes will participate in activities designed to improve their communication, decision-making and problem-solving skills. The sessions also promote better communication among student-athletes, coaches, administrators, faculty and communities. Speakers include Donna Lopiano, Executive Director of the Women's Sports Foundation, and 1964 Olympian Billy Mills.

Byers, who is majoring in communication studies, was Carolina's starter at 133 pounds in 2001. He serves as co-coordinator of Carolina ACT, a student-athlete mentoring group, and is his team's representative to ACC Outreach. He recently was awarded the Athletic Director's Scholar-Athlete Award.