UF Women’s Basketball: Dut Named to SEC Community Service Team

Courtesy of University Athletic Association

BY SAM STOLTE

Women’s basketball forward Faith Dut is a member of the Black Student-Athlete Council

Florida women’s basketball sophomore Faith Dut has been named to the SEC Community Service Team, the league office announced Thursday.
 
This marks the 23rd year for the SEC Community Service Team for women’s basketball, as well as for men’s basketball. All league-sponsored sports have had a Community Service Team since 2004, with at-large teams for men’s and women’s sports being chosen from 1999-2003. The SEC began this concept with a football Community Service Team in 1994.

The sophomore forward is a founding member of the Black Student-Athlete Council at UF, a group that she helped launch this past May. Dut, serving as one of the women’s basketball team’s voices on the council, helps serve as a liaison between the Black student-athlete population at UF and the administration.
 
Acting as an advocate for Black student-athletes on campus, Dut, a journalism major, and her colleagues meet bi-weekly to discuss experiences and issues. Bringing forth an excellent perspective, the Canada native played a key role in the #GatorsVote campaign in the fall and helped create social media campaigns to continue to raise awareness regarding the Council’s social justice movement.

“It has been really special to watch Faith’s growth during her time here. She’s made a concerted effort to become more of an influencer for us on the court, of course, but off the court as well. We’ve been impressed by her drive to push and expand herself,” said Florida head coach Cam Newbauer. “During the pandemic and specifically during the moments of intense social unrest in our country over the summer, Faith really stepped up and shared her voice with our team but also with many around campus. We are so proud of Faith’s involvement with the Black Student-Athlete Council and are grateful for the change and progress she’s helped spur around our campus.”

Dut and representatives from across all the Gators’ athletic teams helped organize marches and other events that aimed to call out racial inequality and helped form community bonds and drive change through conversations, workshops, collaboration with others, and action.
 
Dut and the Gators conclude their 2020-21 regular season Sunday, Feb. 28 when they host Georgia for Senior Day at Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Tipoff is slated for Noon ET and the contest will be televised nationally on ESPN2.