University of Georgia Athletics
Gordon and Powe Named SEC Brad Davis Community Service Award Winners
April 30, 2026 | General, Softball, Swimming & Diving, Men's Swimming & Diving
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – University of Georgia senior student-athletes Sarah Gordon and Sam Powe were announced as the institutional recipients of the 2025-26 Southeastern Conference Brad Davis Community Service Award, as announced by the league office Thursday morning.
Gordon and Powe join male and female winners from each of the SEC's 16 institutions as nominees for the Male and Female Brad Davis Community Service Leaders of the Year Award, which will be announced in May. Each school winner will receive a $7,500 postgraduate scholarship from the SEC.
The SEC Community Service Post-Graduate Scholarship is named for former Associate Commissioner Brad Davis. Davis succumbed to cancer on March 2, 2006. He had been a member of the SEC staff since 1988, first serving as an assistant commissioner until 1994 when he was promoted to associate commissioner.
Gordon, a catcher and utility player from Lexington, South Carolina, is a three-year member of the Georgia softball program with a legacy that will remain long past her time in Athens. She is actively involved as a conference and school representative for Team IMPACT, helping participants get connected with programs on campus, as well as garnering student athlete participation in IMPACT events. Moreso, she was recognized this spring at the 2026 Peach of an Athlete ceremony which honors Georgia athletes who share uplifting values and look to benefit their communities. She is regularly involved in local drives, Special Olympics activities and Georgia Way sponsored events.
On the field, Gordon was named a Softball America, Softball on SI and D1 Softball National Player of the Week earlier this season, as well as taking home Team of the Tournament nods following action at the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational. On the year, she is batting .404 with 57 hits, 44 runs, a team-leading 15 doubles, 10 home runs and 36 RBIs. She was ranked as a top 100 player nationally by Softball America and D1 Softball prior to the 2025 campaign and has been featured in the top 10 position rankings by Softball America each month. She is a .345 career batter and has tallied over 200 career hits with a .616 career slugging percentage.
Powe, a backstroke specialist from Chattanooga, Tennessee, has been involved with numerous service and leadership efforts during his four seasons in Athens. Within the athletic department, he was inducted into the L.E.A.D. Leadership Education and Development Academy. He helped oversee the team's Swim Across America program, working with teammates to raise funds for cancer research. He volunteered with the Barrow Elementary Pen Pal Program, attending weekly meeting with local schoolchildren and foster a strong mentorship, while also participating in multiple Special Olympics events in both Athens and Chattanooga. He helped organized a team service opportunity at the Athens Area Diaper Bank, packaging and wrapping diapers for local churches and food banks during the holiday season. Within the community, he has volunteered with Athens Habitat for Humanity ReStore, restocking, cleaning, and moving items for organization. He has also served for four years as a counselor and lesson teacher at the UGA Summer Swim Camps.
Powe has been named to the CSCAA Scholar All-America Team in each of his first three seasons, along with a 2026 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honor and four placements on the SEC Academic Honor Roll. He has also been named to the J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Honor Roll in each semester, along with four placements on the Dean's List. As an athlete, he has competed at the 2024 NCAA Championships and two SEC Championships, making two championship finals. He ranks top 10 in program history in both the 100 and 200 backstroke and was named a team captain in 2025.
Gordon and Powe join male and female winners from each of the SEC's 16 institutions as nominees for the Male and Female Brad Davis Community Service Leaders of the Year Award, which will be announced in May. Each school winner will receive a $7,500 postgraduate scholarship from the SEC.
The SEC Community Service Post-Graduate Scholarship is named for former Associate Commissioner Brad Davis. Davis succumbed to cancer on March 2, 2006. He had been a member of the SEC staff since 1988, first serving as an assistant commissioner until 1994 when he was promoted to associate commissioner.
Gordon, a catcher and utility player from Lexington, South Carolina, is a three-year member of the Georgia softball program with a legacy that will remain long past her time in Athens. She is actively involved as a conference and school representative for Team IMPACT, helping participants get connected with programs on campus, as well as garnering student athlete participation in IMPACT events. Moreso, she was recognized this spring at the 2026 Peach of an Athlete ceremony which honors Georgia athletes who share uplifting values and look to benefit their communities. She is regularly involved in local drives, Special Olympics activities and Georgia Way sponsored events.
On the field, Gordon was named a Softball America, Softball on SI and D1 Softball National Player of the Week earlier this season, as well as taking home Team of the Tournament nods following action at the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational. On the year, she is batting .404 with 57 hits, 44 runs, a team-leading 15 doubles, 10 home runs and 36 RBIs. She was ranked as a top 100 player nationally by Softball America and D1 Softball prior to the 2025 campaign and has been featured in the top 10 position rankings by Softball America each month. She is a .345 career batter and has tallied over 200 career hits with a .616 career slugging percentage.
Powe, a backstroke specialist from Chattanooga, Tennessee, has been involved with numerous service and leadership efforts during his four seasons in Athens. Within the athletic department, he was inducted into the L.E.A.D. Leadership Education and Development Academy. He helped oversee the team's Swim Across America program, working with teammates to raise funds for cancer research. He volunteered with the Barrow Elementary Pen Pal Program, attending weekly meeting with local schoolchildren and foster a strong mentorship, while also participating in multiple Special Olympics events in both Athens and Chattanooga. He helped organized a team service opportunity at the Athens Area Diaper Bank, packaging and wrapping diapers for local churches and food banks during the holiday season. Within the community, he has volunteered with Athens Habitat for Humanity ReStore, restocking, cleaning, and moving items for organization. He has also served for four years as a counselor and lesson teacher at the UGA Summer Swim Camps.
Powe has been named to the CSCAA Scholar All-America Team in each of his first three seasons, along with a 2026 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honor and four placements on the SEC Academic Honor Roll. He has also been named to the J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Honor Roll in each semester, along with four placements on the Dean's List. As an athlete, he has competed at the 2024 NCAA Championships and two SEC Championships, making two championship finals. He ranks top 10 in program history in both the 100 and 200 backstroke and was named a team captain in 2025.
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