University of North Carolina Athletics
Athlete Awards

Samantha Galina
- Award:
- Athletes of the Week
- Week:
- 12/13/2017
- Sport:
- Fencing
- Bio:
- View Full Bio
Each year UNC teams participate in the Share Your Holidays program, providing holiday gifts to local children and their families. While many student-athletes participate, this week’s Spotlight Student-Athletes are two seniors who have taken part in the project each year at UNC.
Samantha Galina, a member of the women’s fencing team, and Hansen Butler, a member of the baseball team, were among the Tar Heels who traveled to Hillsborough on Dec. 13 to drop this year’s donations at the Orange County Social Services Center. Carolina teams, with the assistance of some staff members and coaches, combined to sponsor 34 children, providing gifts that ranged from new bikes to warm socks.
“We go shopping as a team and that’s fun,” said Galina, a women’s epee team captain from Dix Hills, N.Y. “We have a trip up to Boston right before this so we go to the mall together and pick out the gifts. The whole team feels like they’re coming together to help out.”
Team bonding is an extra benefit for baseball, too.
“It’s a good way to get the team together and get in the holiday spirit,” said Butler, a pitcher from High Point, N.C. “Here at UNC we’re given a lot so for us to be able to help the community and give back to people in need and help give them a great holiday, it’s just a great feeling.”
Samantha Galina, a member of the women’s fencing team, and Hansen Butler, a member of the baseball team, were among the Tar Heels who traveled to Hillsborough on Dec. 13 to drop this year’s donations at the Orange County Social Services Center. Carolina teams, with the assistance of some staff members and coaches, combined to sponsor 34 children, providing gifts that ranged from new bikes to warm socks.
“We go shopping as a team and that’s fun,” said Galina, a women’s epee team captain from Dix Hills, N.Y. “We have a trip up to Boston right before this so we go to the mall together and pick out the gifts. The whole team feels like they’re coming together to help out.”
Team bonding is an extra benefit for baseball, too.
“It’s a good way to get the team together and get in the holiday spirit,” said Butler, a pitcher from High Point, N.C. “Here at UNC we’re given a lot so for us to be able to help the community and give back to people in need and help give them a great holiday, it’s just a great feeling.”
Date | Athlete | Sport |
|---|---|---|
| 11/10/2023 | Christopher Holliday | Football |
| 10/24/2023 | Perry Becker | Swimming & Diving |
| 10/16/2023 | Riley Quartermain | Women's Golf |
| 9/29/2023 | Elijah Green | Football |
| 9/8/2023 | Alyssa Ustby | Women's Basketball |
| 8/28/2023 | Julia Knower | Women's Gymnastics |
| 8/15/2023 | Henry Shugart | Fencing |
| 8/1/2023 | Rob Landry | Men's Basketball |
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