Andrew Coy
Union University’s sophomore catcher is relishing his time as a NCAA Division II student-athlete.
Arkansas, he learned of Union through a church camp. Coy spent time on travel teams and improving as a baseball player before making his decision.
Using his coaches’ connections to Union, he was able to make his way into the minds of the Union baseball staff.
“God worked it out that I could be seen by one of the coaches,” Coy said.
The St. Louis Cardinals fan committed to Union because of its Christian education, homeschool friendly nature and NCAA level.
After redshirting last year, Coy will have the opportunity to play Division II baseball all four eligible years of his college career with a completely new coaching staff that was hired back in June 2014.
According to Coy, the only notable difference in the new staff has been personality, providing a smooth transition.
Coy plans on using his degree to attend a two-year physical therapy school.
He also participates in the Student Athlete Advisory Committee as a baseball representative.
Alli Gadis
Union softball player Alli Gadis has not always been a Lady Bulldog.
graduated a semester early.
Now in her junior year of eligibility, Gadis has chosen to complete her collegiate softball career at Union while attending graduate school.
The transition between the schools included marketing internships with CMT and Warner Bros. as well becoming a human resource manager at a water park.
During her time as an undergrad student, Gadis acted as an assistant coach for a Nashville high school softball team and realized that she missed the game she once played.
“I almost started crying because I forgot how much I missed it,” Gadis said.
She decided to use her three remaining semesters of eligibility at Union while achieving her masters of art in education, which she hopes to use at high school level to teach marketing and coach softball.
Gadis was familiar with the Union squad from playing against them a couple years ago and “was excited to build friendships.”
Early into this season, Gadis suffered an ankle injury that would require surgery.
While the remainder of this season will be spent in a recovery phase for her, Gadis has become optimistic about her position.
As her teammates welcomed her upon arrival, the Nashville native plans to return that encouragement as she cheers from the sideline.
Gadis has plans of carrying this enthusiasm into her final eligible semester which will take place next spring before she graduates.
“I have no doubt that this is where God wants me,” Gadis added.
