2 students to run for CAA presidency

While campaigning for Carolina Athletic Association president this week, both candidates — Andrew Barksdale III and Jessie Nerkowski — have been met with their share of puzzled stares.

“I was out there every day getting signatures, talking to people, and I found that they actually didn’t even know what CAA was,” Barksdale said.

The organization, which helps operate the men’s basketball and football ticket lotteries, also hosts events including Late Night with Roy and Beat Duke Week.

Both Nerkowski, who currently serves as vice president of the association, and Barksdale, a committee member within the association, said improving awareness of the CAA would be their priority.

Nerkowski said she wants better communication with the student body, especially regarding ticketing.

Barksdale said he has been asked by students what he can do to change the randomization of ticket distributions.

“I feel like if we could figure out a way to explicitly say what we can and can’t do with ticket policy then we’ll be in a lot better shape,” he said.

Nerkowski said for the men’s basketball game against the University of Kentucky in December, the association fought tooth and nail to try and get ticketing options other than a lottery and randomization.

“Hopefully after that mess we will have some say, but a lot of it is out of our control — we supply the man power in many ways.”

Barksdale said he would like to increase social media presence, coordinate more with Carolina Fever and involve more sporting teams.

“Every sports program needs their own brand, they need their own image in the minds of students,” he said. “Right now all we have is football and basketball, football and basketball.”

Nerkowski said she wants to bridge the gap between athletes and students and improve partnerships with campus groups.

Allison Hill, current CAA president, said she would advise the candidate who wins to be flexible when unexpected things happen and to keep communication open with the association’s committee and cabinet.

Hill said she and her cabinet are endorsing Nerkowski due to her previous experience as vice president and familiarity with the athletic department.

“She knows how it’s been run and the things that have worked well and the things that haven’t worked that should be changed,” she said.

Barksdale said while this was his first year in the association, he brings a fresh perspective.

“It’s a way to kind of have a way to re-image ourselves, get some more thoughts, get some more minds on the leadership in CAA so that we don’t become stagnant.”

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