INDIANAPOLIS- Eight UIndy sports teams volunteered at UIndy for Riley's annual Dance Marathon Saturday, helping the organization raise more than $6,000 for Riley Hospital for Children.
The annual Dance Marathon event is the largest fundraiser of the year for UIndy for Riley, which is dedicated to raising funds for Riley. The group's goal for the year was $6,000, and they surpassed that with the event, which is a six-hour long marathon attended by UIndy students and Riley children.
"It was great that both our men's and women's teams could come out for such a great cause," men's tennis student-athlete
Trevor Cox said. "It was a great time teaching all of the kids to properly 'Gangnam Style', and the fact that UIndy raised more than $6,000 is just incredible."
In attendance for this year's Dance Marathon were the UIndy softball, volleyball, football, men's soccer, men's and women's golf and men's and women's tennis. The Greyhounds danced and played various games with the Riley kids in hour-long shifts in support of the event.
In addition to the efforts at Dance Marathon, the Greyhound men's and women's soccer teams also volunteered at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Convention in conjunction with TopSoccer.
"It's always a great feeling to share the sport that we all enjoy so much and a post that has been such a huge part of our lives with these kids, " men's soccer's
Andrew Verhonik said. "They love to play the game and play just because they love the game. Doing things like this has a way of putting things into perspective and makes you appreciate the opportunities you have been given as a student-athlete."
UIndy's student-athletes buddied up with the TopSoccer athletes and helped them through drills with their head coach.
"Our team loves to volunteer with the TopSoccer athletes," women's soccer's
Kaitlyn Braunig said. "It's such a rewarding experience knowing we can impact their lives through a common love of soccer. We learn just as much, if not more, from them as they do from us. Our team looks forward to working with them again in the future!"
