Davion Belk faced more challenges than most people can imagine before graduating from high school. A native of Chicago, Belk lost two siblings – a brother and a sister – to gun violence within a six-month period. His mother lived in constant fear for his safety, and the safety of his three other brothers. Despite the struggles, Belk was a standout student in addition to being a star on both the football field and tennis court at Whitney Young High School. He had never heard of Stetson University when Hatters coach Roger Hughes and former Director of Operations Nolan Behrns started recruiting him. As one of the first football players in more than 50 years, Belk arrived in DeLand in August of 2012, and his life has not been the same since.