DALLAS – Dahlia Barnes of the Florida Atlantic University women’s track & field team was one of 11 athletes to receive the Conference USA Winter Spirit of Service Award, as announced by the league office on Thursday.
The award honors student-athletes with significant community service endeavors, good academic standing and participation in their sport. The Spirit of Service award is presented three times throughout the season, with Thursday’s honorees representing track and field. Recipients are nominated by the institutions.
The athletic sophomore Barnes has made a tremendous impact for Florida Atlantic both on and off the track, serving as the vice president of FAU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and is active in the C-USA SAAC diversity, equity, and inclusion working group.
As a biological sciences major, Barnes excels in the classroom as well, making the FAU All-Academic team for seven semesters and has been named to the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll four times. In 2021, she was rewarded the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal.
Within Boca Raton, Barnes participates in numerous community service opportunities, including preparing food at Boca Helping Hands, serving at booths for Medical Mission Abroad, and participates in Read Across America and Girls on the Run.
Barnes has had a strong start to the 2022-23 outdoor season. At the UCF Invitational, she set a long jump mark of 5.59, ninth in Florida Atlantic history.
“Dahlia is one of our team captains for a reason. She always leads by example and strives to do her best,” said track & field coach Georgette Nixon. “Dahlia embodies the three C’s in leading the team: caring, courageous, and consistent. She is a great example to her team as well as leading in SAAC and in the general student body. Consistency has been shown on and off the track and I’m not surprised she has earned this honor. Go Dahlia! You deserve it!”
