NEW ORLEANS — Appalachian State University senior men's soccer and track and field standout Stanley Broaden is one of two student-athletes selected to represent the Sun Belt Conference at the 2015 NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, the Sun Belt announced on Friday.

Established in 1997, the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum engages a diverse and dynamic representation of student-athletes, coaches, faculty and administrators. Student-athletes selected to attend Leadership Forum return to campus with invaluable leadership skills, the experience of exploring the relationship between personal values, core beliefs and behavioral styles, and a thorough understanding of the NCAA as a whole, the different divisional perspectives and the valuable role of student-athlete advisory committees.

The Leadership Forum has been a life-changing experience for nearly 5,000 student-athletes, many who have grown personally and professionally, gained a new network of peers and friends, as well as felt the rewards and importance of community service.

One of the Sun Belt's most accomplished student-athletes, Broaden is a two-time first-team all-conference honoree in soccer, having earned the accolades in the Southern Conference in 2013 and Sun Belt in 2014. As a senior last fall, he led Appalachian State with seven goals, including four game-winners, and earned all-state and all-region honors in addition to the first-team all-Sun Belt recognition.

In track and field, he is a two-time SoCon champion (2013 indoor 60-meter hurdles, 2013 outdoor 400-meter hurdles) and helped lead the Mountaineers to a second-place finish in the 4x400 relay at the 2014 SoCon Indoor Championships.

Off the field/track, Broaden is an academic all-conference and all-region honoree and president of Appalachian State's Student-Athlete Advisory Council.

“This is a well-deserved honor for Stanley,” Appalachian State interim director of athletics Rick Beasley said. “Stanley is the epitome of what we hope our student-athletes will be — a terrific competitor and teammate, an excellent student and a great leader among his peers. I am excited for him that he gets to take part in this once-in-a-lifetime experience and am proud that he will represent Appalachian State and the Sun Belt Conference on a national stage.”

Broaden will be joined by UALR volleyball star Megan Mathis as the Sun Belt's representatives at the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Forum, which will take place April 9-12 in Orlando. Attendance at the Leadership Forum is at no cost to the participants, institutions or conference offices – the NCAA pays for participants' transportation, lodging and meals.