University of Florida sophomores Bob van Overbeek and Caroline Hitimana have been named to the 2011 Southeastern Conference Men’s and Women’s Tennis Community Service Teams, respectively, the league office announced on Tuesday.
van Overbeek, who has awarded the honor for the second straight year, is an active participant in the Goodwill Gators program. He has been committed to giving back to children in the Gainesville community by tutoring and giving talks at local elementary and middle schools, visiting UF’s Shands Hospital pediatrics wing and participating in a school makeover for an elementary school.
The Boca Raton native has shown a dedication to those less fortunate by giving significant hours to the Gator Tracks program, which provides shoes for needy children in the community during the holiday season, as well as canned food drives surrounding Florida football games in the fall.
On the court, van Overbeek has posted a 23-10 singles record for the Gators during the 2010-11 campaign, including a 10-8 mark in dual matches, and holds a 15-10 doubles mark (12-8 dual). The fall individual season was highlighted by a championship at the Texas Invitational in Austin, Texas, and he reached a career-high No. 52 national ranking on Jan. 4 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll.
As for Hitimana, the Gator sophomore has been involved in a number of community projects during the 2010-2011 season, including the Beat Tennessee Watch Party at Shands Hospital, the Children’s Miracle Network Pediatric Movie Night, the Gator Tracks Wrapping Party, Gator Tracks Delivery at Terwilliger Elementary School and Gator Tracks Delivery at Idylwild Elementary School.
On the court, Hitimana has compiled a 15-4 overall singles record, including a 9-0 mark in dual match competition. She sports a 16-5 doubles record, with a 7-1 ledger in dual match action.
The SEC sponsors Community Service Teams in all 20 sports. The Community Service Team looks to highlight athletes from the SEC who gives back to their community in superior service efforts.