ARLINGTON, Texas – UT Arlington track and field student-athlete Sophia Allen has been selected as chair of the 2026-27 United Athletic Conference (UAC) Conference of Student-Athletes (COSA) Executive Board, the league announced.

Allen, a senior from UT Arlington's track and field program, will serve as the student-athlete representative for the conference while leading initiatives designed to enhance the student-athlete experience across the UAC. She will work alongside representatives from each member institution to advocate for student-athlete well-being, leadership development and community engagement.

A pre-clinical biology major with minors in psychology and biochemistry, Allen has been an active leader within UTA Athletics as president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). In her new conference-wide role, she will chair meetings of the COSA Executive Board and help ensure student-athlete perspectives are represented in conference initiatives and decision-making.

"I am very excited for all the changes and new opportunities this year in COSA," Allen said. "I can't wait to meet other students that are passionate about helping their fellow student-athletes as well as their communities like I am."
Allen's appointment comes as the United Athletic Conference begins its inaugural academic year under its new all-sports structure, with UT Arlington serving as one of the league's founding institutions.

The UAC also announced Raghan Allen of Central Arkansas as vice chair, Chloe Cloyd of Eastern Kentucky as secretary and Sarah Schmeling of Austin Peay as parliamentarian for the 2026-27 academic year.

Under the new governance structure, two student-athletes will serve as voting members at the highest level of both Conference and Unisun Governance in the Management Committees and Administrative Council. This reflects a shared-governance philosophy, recognizing student-athletes as active contributors to conference leadership rather than passive recipients of policy decisions.
 
2026-27 UAC Council of Student-Athletes Officers
Grace Clark, EKU (Women's Golf) - NCAA Division I SAAC Representative Sofia Allen, UT Arlington (Track and Field) - UAC COSA Chair Raghan Allen, Central Arkansas (Track and Field) - UAC COSA Vice Chair Italya Cloyd, Austin Peay (Volleyball) - UAC COSA Secretary Nevaeh Schmeling, Austin Peay (Track and Field) - UAC COSA Social Media Coordinator.