Allatoona alum Daniels receives scholarship from Abbie DeLoach Foundation

Former Allatoona High School volleyball standout Jedaiah Daniels was celebrated recently at the Abbie DeLoach Foundation luncheon.

The annual event took place at the Savannah Golf Club and recognized 29 scholarship recipients. Daniels, who completed her eligibility at Savannah State last fall, received an athletic scholarship of $1,620 from the foundation.

“I am extremely honored to have been selected for the ADF scholarship. As a student-athlete, you are given a scholarship for your athletic abilities, but the ADF scholarship felt more personal,” Daniels said. “They awarded me a scholarship for the person I was both on and off the court. As a recipient, I am a reflection of the DeLoach family and ADF, so it means a lot to be welcomed into a community of support and be thought highly of to be awarded for a scholarship in honor of Abbie.

“Being a student-athlete to me means wanting more for yourself, having determination to make sacrifices, and to just push your body and mind to the fullest extent to kind of get where you want to.”

Abbie DeLoach was one of five Georgia Southern nursing students who died April 22, 2015, in a wreck with a tractor trailer on Interstate 16 near Savannah. The same wreck also claimed the life of Emily Clark, a Cobb County native and Harrison High School graduate.

The following year, DeLoach’s father, Jimmy DeLoach Jr., created the foundation to aid students like his daughter. Since then, the organization has supplied nursing students and student-athletes with scholarships they need to succeed.

The foundation partners with universities such as Savannah State, Georgia, Georgia Southern and others to award students with scholarships to aid their education and athletic careers. The schools nominate students for the award.

“I think it completes Abbie and the person that she was, even though she was taken so many years ago, just to be able to see so many nurses, student-athletes and communities grow is great to see as a dad,” Jimmy DeLoach Jr. said.

Scholarship recipients exhibit academic excellence, service or athletic commitment. Daniels has proven herself to be committed to her craft as well as her community and education.

In May 2021, Daniels graduated magna cum laude from Savannah State with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. She is now back in school, maintaining a 3.2 grade-point average working towards her masters degree.

“While doing all of this, I still contributed back to my community,” Daniels said. “In Savannah, my junior year, I volunteered over 30 hours at the Frank Callen Boys and Girls Club to give back and teach the younger generation about being student-athletes.”

In addition to her academic excellence and service, Daniels made her mark at Savannah State as a key player with the volleyball team.

“I’ve been the captain of the Savannah State volleyball team for the past two years, and within those three years that I was on the team, collectively was the first year I believe in our history of going to the tournament and making it through our tournament,” Daniels said.

The 5-foot-7 middle hitter had 128 kills and 60 digs last season.

With her playing career behind her, Daniels is pursuing her dreams in becoming a marketing manager for a Black woman-owned business or company. Daniels is currently working as a marketing associate for HIREBLACK.

She had advice for young student athletes aspiring to take their athletic ability to the next level.

“My advice for younger student-athletes is never doubt yourself because, in athletics, as long as you push yourself and you give 100%, you’re always going to surprise yourself,” Daniels said.