Nov. 23, 2011

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By Miquel Jacobs
Assistant Media Relations Director

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina senior forward Maria Petroni has been named to the SEC Community Service Team for women’s soccer.

Petroni has logged over 54 hours of community service work in Columbia and the surrounding areas. Petroni has participated in the “Light The Night” walk each of the past two years to help raise awareness for cancer. She spends time outside of the soccer season working with youth at local schools Meadowfield Elementary and Bradley Elementary. She has volunteered her time with the Columbia United Rec League, Lexington County soccer and at various YMCA initiatives during her time at South Carolina. In addition working at South Carolina’s women’s soccer camps during the summer, Petroni has volunteered at soccer clinics held throughout the state, and has volunteered at “Family Connections” and the “K2A Speaker Series”.

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.

Petroni (Flowery Branch, Ga.) had a career season in her final year at South Carolina. The winger put up four goals and five assists for 13 points, all career highs, in helping lead the Gamecocks to the first SEC Regular Season championship in program history. Her five assists ranked second on the team, and she also notched two game-winning goals on the year.