The UNC athletic department joined with the Rams Club on Thursday to award senior Lily Dean with the first ever Derek and Debra Galvin Gymnastics Scholarship.

Part of the FORevHER Tar Heels women’s initiative, the endowed scholarship was given to Dean for her team leadership and the way she embodies the Galvins’ character, values and beliefs.

Dean competes in the vault, balance beam and floor exercise for the Tar Heels and is a student at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media.

The $100,000 scholarship comes from UNC gymnastics alumnae, parents of current and former student-athletes, family and friends. It honors longtime Tar Heel head coach Derek Galvin, who retired in June after 39 years leading the program, and his wife Debra–who he met at UNC while a member of the men’s gymnastics team in the 1970’s.

“I am so honored to be the first recipient of the Derek and Debra Galvin Gymnastics Scholarship because Derek has brought so much to not only Carolina gymnastics, but to the whole Carolina Athletics program,” Dean said. “Derek really does educate and inspire through athletics. I feel he has taught me and my teammates so many valuable life lessons that will forever be engrained in us.”

 

 

Photo via UNC Athletics

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