CANTON, Ga. – Following a national search, the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) is proud to announce the hiring of Paige Ward as its new Assistant Commissioner. Ward brings a dynamic background in athletic communications and a deep understanding of the league to the role, positioning her to immediately make an impact in moving the conference forward.

Ward joins the SAA office after serving as the Director of Sports Information and Promotions at Berry College since November 2023. In that role, she oversaw all aspects of athletic communications, including livestreaming, social media, BerryVikings.com, and coordination with both the NCAA and the SAA. Her familiarity with the league and its priorities uniquely qualifies her to step into this position and contribute meaningfully from day one.

“We are extremely fortunate to fill our assistant commissioner position with someone as talented as Paige,” said SAA Commissioner Stacey LaDew. “Nate Weyant was an excellent leader in the league for the past three years, and we appreciate his service at a critical rebuilding time in the SAA. Paige will continue to help us move forward, and I am confident she will challenge us to be innovative, find ways to best serve our members and our student-athletes, which is a primary goal of our conference.”

Ward is a member of College Sports Communicators and brings additional experience from her time at Huntingdon College, where she served as the Sports Information Director and Assistant Women's Basketball Coach from 2022 through 2023. At Huntingdon, Ward managed communications for 21 NCAA-sponsored sports and two club teams, overseeing streaming, social media, website management, and statistical operations. She also served as the NCAA and Collegiate Conference of the South (CCS) liaison.

A 2020 graduate of the University of Montevallo, Ward was a standout student-athlete and three-year member of the Falcons women’s basketball team after beginning her collegiate career at Snead State. A team captain and prolific three-point shooter, she ranked fourth in her conference as a senior with 68 made threes. She was a three-time Gulf South Conference Honor Roll honoree, made the Dean’s List in each of her final six semesters, and was active in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Ward’s competitive spirit, strategic mindset, and commitment to the student-athlete experience make her an ideal fit to help guide the SAA into its next chapter.

Former SAA Associate Commissioner, Nate Weyant, stepped down from his role in June 2025, accepting the position as Athletic Director at Asheville Catholic School, a private school in the mountains of Western North Carolina. The league is extremely grateful to Weyant for his years of service and leadership in the SAA.

For more information on all things SAA, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the SAA's home on the internet at www.saa-sports.com. Be sure to stay up to date on all of your Southern Athletic Association news by following @SAA_Sports on Twitter (X) and @SAA_Sports on Instagram.