CLEVELAND, Ohio— Senior Emma Gaston was named as a nominee for the Allstate National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA)2025-26 winter Good Works Team nominees, NACDA announced Tuesday. 

The Allstate NACDA Good Works Team is an initiative to honor and recognize student-athletes who demonstrate levels of volunteerism that go beyond their achievements in the classroom and competition. The team recognizes 60 student-athletes annually across the fall, winter and spring seasons. The 2025-26 team will feature 20 student-athletes, consisting of 10 male and 10 female athletes. 

During her time competing for UIndy's cross country and track and field teams, Gaston has dedicated her time to many nonprofit organizations, including Joy House in Indianapolis, which serves adults with life-altering diagnoses. The senior also helped raise $110,000 for the Jackson Center for Conductive Education, a non-profit organization that supports children with cerebral palsy, by organizing donors, sponsorships and silent auction packages for the center's annual Grape Escape Gala.

In addition to her work off campus, Gaston has had a great impact on the UIndy student-athlete community as the president of UIndy's Student Athlete Advisory Committee.  Emma played a part in the development of the Hounds Leadership Academy, which is designed to develop leadership skills within the student-athlete body at UIndy. She was selected to attend the 2025 APPLE (Athletic Prevention Programming and Leadership) Training Institute in Denver, Colorado, where she received training to prevent substance abuse misuse and hazing in Division II Athletics. She is now implementing an Action Plan on UIndy's Campus to provide education regarding substance abuse and hazing, including starting the APPLE Team at UIndy.

The final Allstate NACDA 2025-26 winter Good Works Team will be announced in early February, and a full list of nominees can be found here.