Kennedy Wicker Named to SEC Community Service Team

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Senior Kennedy Wicker from the South Carolina women’s tennis team has been named to the SEC Community Service Team, the league office announced Thursday.

Wicker was the most active member of South Carolina’s team this past academic year, participating in multiple community service projects and outreach initiatives. One project in which Wicker participated was a backpack school supply drive to provide a boost for educators and families struggling financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The supplies were gathered from student-athletes and staff in collection boxes in the athletics department. The goal was to fill backpacks and pencil pouches with those donations and after exceeding expectations, the items were given to a local middle school.

Wicker was also one of several student-athletes who took part in a thank-a-thon by calling Gamecock Club members who allowed the athletics department to keep the funds they donated even though they might not have received tickets and/or parking benefits. With the significant loss of revenue for the department due to the pandemic, these donors truly believed in our mission to provide a championship level experience for our student-athletes. Wicker spent several hours speaking with donors and thanking them for their generosity and commitment to South Carolina athletics.

In the fall, Wicker participated in an exhibition mixed doubles match at a local tennis club to support a fundraiser. She also made Christmas cards for sick kids at a children’s hospital.