Underwood Recognized SCAC Character & Community Female Student-Athlete of the Week
GABBIE UNDERWOOD OF UNIVERSITY OF DALLAS, a freshman on the Crusaders' softball team, has been selected at the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) Character and Community Female Student-Athlete of the Week beginning April 2, 2018.
The SCAC honors the efforts of student-athletes who excel in the field of athletics while also serving their campus and community.
UD softball has spent time this semester being more involved with the local community. The Crusaders spent time offering a free clinic for North Dallas High School. This school has a large number of homeless students and 83% of the enrolled students are financially troubled.
One thing Underwood noticed was that a majority of the girls did not have the proper equipment needed to play. This included: cleats, gloves, and bats. Underwood wanted to do more and planned to raise money to buy all the girls on the team new cleats. Just hosting the clinic alone was great, but the freshman "felt the need to do more." Being able to buy all the girls new cleats could possibly help the girls become better players and assists the families from an extra cost. Cleats in softball are crucial in helping have traction on the dirt to play better.
Underwood was able to raise 1,500 dollars in just one month, and hopes to stay connected with helping the team at North Dallas more in the future. The La Verne, California, native loves giving back to the sport she plays and expects to be involved with local teams back in her hometown this summer as well.
Underwood was able to start getting involved through the softball program at UD in January when the program volunteered to perform operations at the scorer's table for a Special Olympics Basketball Tournament.
A few weeks ago, Underwood was named SCAC Offensive Player of the Week. She leads the team batting .377, 26 hits, and 16 runs-batted-in. She has recorded a hit in 12-of-14 games, including a nine-game streak.
UNDERWOOD INTERVIEW ABOUT HER COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT