March 1, 2011

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – In a continuing effort to recognize the accomplishments of student-athletes beyond the field of competition, the SEC once again highlighted a Community Service Team for men’s basketball for the 2010-11 season.

This marks the 13th year for the SEC Community Service Team for men’s basketball as well as for women’s basketball. All 20 league-sponsored sports have had a Community Service Team since 2004, with at-large teams for men’s and women’s sports being chosen from 1999-2003. The SEC began this concept with a football Community Service Team in 1994.

Charvez Davis – Alabama (Sr. | G | 6-3 | 186 | Montgomery, Ala.)
Has volunteered and mentored at three different local schools, including one for at-risk students, this semester … Has volunteered every Thursday this semester and will is scheduled to continue on this schedule for the remainder of the term.

Marcus Britt – Arkansas (Sr. | G | 6-3 | 198 | Madison, Ark.)
Visited the Washington County Juvenile Detention Center each of the last two Thanksgivings to deliver dinners to the detainees … Visited assisted living center to meet and spend time with patients … Played with underprivileged kids and local gaming area the past two years around the Christmas holiday … Has been an active participant at several Boys and Girls Club events including passing out donated backpacks to attendees.

Frankie Sullivan – Auburn (Jr. | G | 6-1 | 195 | Uniontown, Ala.)
Visited children and cancer patients at East Alabama Medical Center … City of Auburn Downtown Trick or Treat by signing autographs and passing out candy … Mentored elementary school students at the Lee County Youth Development Center and read to them.

Chandler Parsons – Florida (Sr. | F | 6-10 | 218 | Casselberry, Fla.)
Chandler Parsons is extremely active in the Gainesville community … In addition to his leadership role in the Gators’ locker room as a four-year player, Parsons has spent countless hours giving back to the Gainesville area … He has made numerous trips to the pediatrics ward at local Shands Hospital … Parsons has helped serve meals to the homeless at the famous St. Francis House in Gainesville at Thanksgiving time … In addition, he has visited numerous local elementary schools promoting the values of education … Last year, Parsons was also among a group of UF basketball players that visited the set of Extreme Makover: Home Edition recently, as the Gators supported a huge community effort.

Connor Nolte – Georgia (Jr. | G/F | 6-7 | 205 | Alpharetta, Ga.)
Participated in the Read Across America program at Barrow Elementary School in Athens … Participated in the SEC’s “Together We Can” Food Drive … Wrote Christmas cards to troops stationed in the Middle East … Went Christmas shopping with children from the Boys and Girls Club of Athens … Spoke to middle school kids as a representative of the FCA … Helped raise money to provide Thanksgiving meals to needy families in the Athens area … Participated in a basketball clinic at Stegeman Coliseum for special needs children … Helped administer the “Do it for Broph” 5K race to raise money for the Kevin Brophy Memorial Scholarship Fund … Served on the UGA Student-Athlete Advisory Committee … Maintained a blog throughout the 2010 season called “Passersremorse.com” that brought national notoriety to the UGA basketball program, mainly through the staging of weekly trick shots by himself, teammates, coaches and other “celebrities.”

DeAndre Liggins – Kentucky (Jr. | G | 6-6 | 210 | Chicago, Illinois)
Helped raise money for Haiti earthquake victims in Hoops for Haiti … Washed feet and helped give shoes in inner city Detroit through Samaritan’s Feet … Helped pack and deliver food bags for God’s Pantry food bank … Spent time at Ronald McDonald house … Visited UK Children’s Hospital where he signed autographs … Part of a school mentoring program … Visited children at a Pediatric Oncology hospital in Portland, Oregon. Other Activities, Awards, etc.: Inducted into Frank G. Ham Society of Character.

Daron Populist – LSU (So. | G | 5-10 | 170 | Slidell, La.)
Serves as the basketball representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) … Was a participant in the Halloween BOOzar, which brings hundreds of kids to the LSU campus for a night of safe trick or treat activities … Volunteered for the Thanksgiving with the Tigers program in which the basketball team adopted an underprivileged child for the holiday and provided gifts at a program while serving the family a Thanksgiving style meal … Also volunteered for the Miles for Myles Walk in honor of the NCAA’s late president Myles Brand … Each year the men’s basketball team goes room to room visiting patients, wearing Santa hats and singing Christmas carols passing out basketball and posters.

Zach Graham – Ole Miss (Sr. | G | 6-6 | 210 | Suwanee, Ga.)
Zach Graham is a regular participant in Reading with the Rebels (a program which helps promote reading to area students) and spends time with children at local daycare centers … He has volunteered at a summer basketball camp and has joined teammates in visiting patients at the Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital and Children’s Cancer Clinic at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson … He and his teammates have taken time to visit with underprivileged children from the local Boys and Girls Club, building scarecrows with them during the fall and delivering Christmas gifts to them in December … He has also participated in the SEC “Together We Can” food drive, collecting items for the Oxford Food Pantry.

Brandon Bolen – Mississippi State (Sr. | G | 6-3 | 208 | Madison, Miss.)
Several days a week, Brandon works with kids at the Starkville Park & Rec, mainly playing basketball and teach them skills and fundamentals of the game… He also coaches a city league team comprised of 12- and 13-year olds.

Malik Cooke – South Carolina (Jr. | F | 6-6 | 213 | Charlotte, N.C.)
Helped at the Darrin Horn Ladies Clinic – a ladies clinic which benefits organizations that aid in breast cancer research … The entire South Carolina men’s basketball team and coaching staff went to the Oliver Gospel Mission over the Thanksgiving holiday to help serve the Thanksgiving meal to the less fortunate in Columbia … Spoke to kids at Gadsden Elementary School about being good students, respecting parents and teachers.

Melvin Goins – Tennessee (Sr. | G | 5-11 | 180 | San Diego, Calif.)
Read to children at a local elementary school … Served as a finish-line greeter and handed out roses to cancer survivor at Knoxville’s Race For The Cure … Visited with patients at UT Medical Center multiple times … Participated in a home re-model for local child suffering from a brain tumor (even sewed pillow shams) as part of a project for “Special Spaces” … Starred in a PSA for the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life event at UT … Assisted down syndrome children on the basketball court at the Hoops For Hope event at Farragut High School. Other Activities, Awards, etc.: Served as a campus host for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in the fall … Works closely with a UT faculty mentor.

Joe Duffy – Vanderbilt (Jr. | F | 6-8 | 225 | Charlotte, N.C.)
Raised over $5,000 for the charity “Nothing But Nets” last April by putting on a 3-on-3 basketball tournament that he organized; the charity helps purchase mosquito nets for people in Africa … On tap to do the same thing this April with a “Buzzkill Shoot-Out” … Other Activities, Awards, etc.: Member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee on campus and is a member of the Vanderbilt Finance Career Mentoring Program, which helps sophomore and junior students network to find jobs in the finance industry.