Nov. 21, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The SEC sponsors Community Service Teams for all 20 league sponsored sports. The Community Service Team looks to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to their community in superior service efforts. The fifth annual women’s volleyball Community Service Team follows:

Megan Hudson, Setter/Defensive Specialist, Alabama: Hudson has volunteered in various projects throughout the year including, cooking and servinc pancakes for the Tuscaloosa residents at the Central High School pancake breakfast and she participated in celebrity bagging at Bruno’s Grocery Store. A Together We CAN food drive volunteer, the St. Louis Mo. native has aslo participated in Angel Tree Shopping and Halloween Extravaganza where she organized games for local children for Halloween. Hudson was a guest speaker for Red Ribbon Week at University Place Elementary where she spoke to children about staying drug free and she volunteers at Capstone Village Retirement Center.

Ashley Miller, Libero, Arkansas: Miller has been involved in several volunteer activities throughout out her career as she participated in Dr. Seuss Read Across American Day, the Houston nutt Classic Golf Tournament and was a representative on the U of A Tobacco Free Coalition. Her biggest involvement however has been her efforts towards breast cancer awareness. Her year long committment to breast cancer and breast cancer awareness has led to a variety of activities from designing newspaper ads placed in the campus newspaper, to producing a bi-monthly newsletter,presentations, Race for the Cure, to sponsoring a creative writing contest and an art contest called “Every Sister, Every Daughter, Every Mother”.

Amber McCray, Opposite Hitter, Florida: McCray regularly visits children in the pediatrics clinic at SHANDS Hospital as part of the Children’s Miracle Network. She has worked at local elementary schools to help develop motor skills in handicapped pre-k children and also volunteers to help with intramurals programs at local elementary schools. The Longview, Texas native has been active in the fight against cancer, participating in the Climb for Cancer Sports Camp and the Cure for Design Fashion Show. She participated in UF’s Dive into Multi-Cultural Assembly and is involved with the Success Series Freshman Panel at UF.

Anjelica Partridge, Middle Hitter, Georgia: Partridge has managed her time to being involved throughout the Athens community. In 2007, she spent time working with students on both the elementary and middle school levels, at the East Athens Community Center and St. Mary’s Hospital. In addition, she also participated in the Northeast Georgia Food Bank. The Chattanooga, Tenn. native is also a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

Kathleen Bowler, Defensive Specialist, Kentucky: Bowler volunteer and mentors at the UK Children’s Hospital and has worked for Habitat for Humanity. The senior has helped raise money for Special Olympics Bowling in Kentucky with the Polar Bear Plunge. The Naperville, Ill. native has participated as an instructor for various clinics, including the team’s annual Girl Scout volleyball clinic. Bowler also tutors kids at the Village Branch Library and worked UK’s Dance Blue dance-off. A captain of the UK volleyball team, she is also a member of the school’s prestigious Frank G. Ham Society of Character, featured in the UK College of Education Alumni magazine for her commitment to education and community service.

Michelle Hensgens, Defensive Specialist, LSU: Hensgens participated in the “Dig for Cure” campaign to help raise money for the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation to raise money for breast cancer research. She also participated in the SEC “Together We Can” food drive that helped restock local food pantries. The Morgan City, La. native volunteered at the Halloween BOOzar, which allows children to trick-or-treat with LSU athletes, and she helps with the Christmas Toy Drive, visits with sick children at a local hospital pediatric center and helped with the MDA Strides and Rides campaign which raised money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Rachel Kieckhaefer, Setter, Ole Miss: Kieckhaefer is a member and officer of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and she helped organize the SEC “Together We Can” canned food drive on campus. She also is part of the APPLE Committee which communicates dangers of substance abuse and she volunteers with the Reading with the Rebels program.

Dorey Gray, Setter, Mississippi State: Gray joined the MSU athletes as a participant in the M-Club’s annual Thanksgiving food drive, which collected and distributed food to needy families in the Starkville community. She has also served as a volunteer coach in the Starkville Youth Soccer League.

Sarah Cline, Defensive Specialist/Libero, South Carolina: Cline has volunteered for the EdVenture Children’s Museum, Share Your Holiday Food/Touchdown for Turkeys Drive, is a South Carolina Jr. Volleyball Club volunteer coach and was a volunteer speaker at E.L. Wright Middle School Career Day. The Rock Hill, S.C. native is also a volunteer reader at Sandlapper Elementary School, was a Heart Walk participant and helped restore the Penn Museum on St. Helena’s Island on a spring break mission trip.

Mindy Flynn, Right Side/Middle Blocker, Tennessee: Flynn has participated in the Saving Little Hearts Mini Golf Tournament, bought and wrapped toys for needy families for the Teams and Toys Christmas Project, has put on a volleyball clinic for the Smokey Mountain Children’s Home and has hosted over 500 kids from the Boys and Girls Clubs for a day of fun and education at the April Play Day. The Louisville, Ky. native is a member of SAAC, has signed autographs and greeted fans in Volunteer Village prior to football games and was a participant in the Dogwood Arts Parade.