May 19, 2014

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Junior Joshua Suttmeier and freshman Maya Evans earned spots on the SEC Community Service Teams for track and field and cross country, the league office announced today.

The league presents a Community Service Team for each of its 21 league-sponsored sports, looking to highlight a male and female athlete from each school who gives back to his or her community through superior service efforts.

Men’s Community Service Team
South Carolina: Joshua Suttmeier (R-Jr., Somerdon, N.J., Throws)
Helped coach and run track meets for the Hunterdon Lions Track Club, officiated at the “All Comers Youth Track Meet” established by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department; helped with various administrative and organizational tasks at the Ronald McDonald House in Columbia, S.C.; participant in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night Walk; helped run Catawba Trail Elementary School Family Festival … Is his school’s javelin record holder … A 2014 team captain … Has been named to the SEC academic honor roll and is a USTFCCCA All-Academic … Is vice president of the University’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Alabama: Diondre Batson (Sr., Sacramento, Calif., Sprints)
Has volunteered with the DCH Just For You Day, the Glen Haven Nursing Home, Davis Emerson Middle School, Verner Elementary and Crossing Points School … Has stuffed candy bags as Halloween gifts for area youth … Participated in the Alabama Athletics Halloween Extravaganza for kids … Involved in mentorship at the Rock Quarry Middle School.

Arkansas: Nathanael Franks (Sr., Damascus, Ore., Multi-Events)
Is an International Culture Team core leader … Participates in the 99 Balloons Recess special needs respite program, the Cross-Cultural Solutions Insight Abroad program in Guatemala, A Walton Arts Center usher and concessionaire and a UATV Crossfire televised political debate show panelist … An Alexander Hamilton Friends Association scholarship recipient, a Phi Beta Kappa honors society member … Earned the 2013 Big Man On Campus Award.

Auburn: Jason Miller (Sr., Auburn, Ala., Distance)
Has worked with the Auburn Food Bank as a volunteer, assisting with stocking shelves and packaging food for distribution … The Auburn Food Bank helps provide relief to families and individuals living within the boundaries of the Auburn City School District … A cross country representative for the Auburn University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for a year and a half before serving as SAAC Treasurer for the last two years.

Florida: David Levin (Jr., Altamonte Springs, Fla., Throws)
Has paced Florida on the men’s side with his dedication to community service through the 2013-14 academic year, logging nearly 40 hours of service thus far. Levin has helped with a number of different service projects this season, but most notably has devoted a staggering 24 days of service – one hour per day – towards Gator Move, a program where UF student-athletes attend PE classes at local elementary schools to assist with morning activity for the children … On four different occasions this year, Levin additionally spent two hours or more just down the street from Percy Beard Track at UF Health, the local Gainesville hospital, participating in Caleb’s Pitch Syringe Art … Caleb’s Pitch is nonprofit organization dedicated to creating memorable experiences and enhancing the quality of life for children and families confronting serious childhood illnesses … With Syringe Art, Levin helped create artwork using paint in syringes with sick children at the hospital … Throughout the fall, Levin additionally helped with the kids club Halloween event and was a part of the Gator Tracks delivery team that distributed donated new shoes to needy children at local elementary schools in the Gainesville area during the holidays … Was on the 2013-14 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Executive Board as the Parliamentarian.

Georgia: Luke Baker (Jr., McDonough, Ga., Distance)
A Calvary Bible Church Sunday school teacher working with elementary or middle school kids by leading them in games, worship, Bible study and discussion … Participates in the annual baseball game with disabled children for the Special Olympics … Gave speeches at Clarke Central Fellowship of Christian Athletes … Hosted a Halloween Dodgeball Tournament in order to raise money for a local charity … A member of the 2012-13 SEC Academic Honor Roll.

Kentucky: Isiah Kent (Sr., Galion, Ohio, Throws)
Has been involved in UK’s Cats Cultivating Character each of the last three hours … Has logged 40 hours of community service with that program … Has been involved in various other projects.

LSU: Quincy Downing (Jr., Cleveland, Ohio, Sprints/Hurdles)
Leads the Tigers in community service hours for the 2013-14 academic year … His community service efforts includes participating with Mark’s Madness benefitting ALS research, being a mentor at the Louisiana Young Heroes Day in 2014, working as a volunteer at the Special Olympics, participating at National Lemonade Day at LSU and volunteering at the Community Empowerment Services.

Ole Miss: Alex Nichols (Jr., Mobile, Ala., Middle Distance)
An active participant in Reading with the Rebels, a program in which Ole Miss athletes read and mentor local elementary school students … Has helped with More than a Meal, serving food and helping tutor children of needy families … Has also helped with Toys for Tots, Adopt-A-Basket, Martin Luther King Day and Mississippi tornado relief … A two-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member … Named to the 2013-14 Who’s Who Among Students In American Universities and Colleges.

Tennessee: J.R. Creekmore (Jr., Wilmington, Del., Distance)
Worked at the fundraising Archmere Academy Garage Sale … Participated in a workday at the Beardsley Community Farm in Knoxville … Participated in VOLoween, a Halloween event for local children on campus … A two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Rolls.

Texas A&M: Clifton Harlin (Jr., Fort Worth, Texas, Pole Vault)
Community service projects included AggiesCAN, as well as Hard Hats for Little Heads, Film on the Field, AggiesMOVE … Hard Hats for Little Heads is a helmet safety awareness program for 3,049 fourth graders from the Brazos Valley and surrounding school districts. AggiesCan is the largest student-athlete canned food drive in the nation. This event provides the Brazos Valley Food bank with enough food to last through the winter and most of the spring, and a portion of it goes to our on-campus food bank, the 12th Can … Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Team Representative and served on Executive Team as the Public Relations Chairman. Co-creator of The Big 6, an on campus canned food competition, which is a new addition to AggiesCAN.

Vanderbilt: John Ewing (Jr., Atlanta, Ga., Cross Country)
A representative on the Vanderbilt Student-Athlete Advisory Committee since 2012 … A VUceptor – a Vanderbilt first-year orientation leader in 2012 … A lodge liaison with the Mayfield Living Learning Community in 2012, interfacing with program coordinators, producing project updates and organizing volunteer activities … Volunteered in an elementary school by reading regularly to underprivileged children.

Women’s Community Service Team
South Carolina: Maya Evans (Fr., Wilson, N.C., Sprints and Middle Distance)
Concentrating her time at the Ronald McDonald House assisting with nearly every task, Evans has completed 56.5 hours of community service during her first season at South Carolina, spent time with children at Carolina Children’s Home, Gamecock Connection (campus tour guide for prospective students), Good Samaritan Clinic, aided the Honor Council with on-campus Mardi Gras event, handed out candy to children at Boo at the Zoo, Columbia Downtown Triathlon volunteer, assisted disabled children with gymnastic equipment at All-Star Gymnastics, officiated at the All Comers Youth Track Meet organized by the Richland County Sheriff’s Department … Is in South Carolina’s Honors College … Is the Vice President of Gamecock Connection and Public Relations Coordinator of the Honors Council … serves as a Community Service Ambassador.

Alabama: Claire Turner (Sr., Distance, Signal Mountain, Tenn.)
Has volunteered with the Alabama Athletics Halloween Extravaganza, the Sprayberry Elementary Tailgating with the Stars, Hatch’s House of Hope and Soles for Souls … Participated in the construction of an orphanage on a Mexican mission trip … Participated in the Athletes in Action Track and Field Zimbabwe Ministry.

Arkansas: Chrishuna Williams (Jr., Desoto, Texas, Sprints)
A member of the University of Arkansas Student-Athlete Advisory Committee … Volunteered with Book Hogs, Sweat Hogs, the Special Olympics and Street Clean-Up … Is a volunteer youth track development coach.

Auburn: Lizzie Briasco (Sr., Forest Hills, N.Y., Distance)
Is a campus food pantry volunteer … Organized weekly visits by Auburn student-athletes to participate in a Head Start program at local community center, working with local youth … Participated in the Auburn Downtown Trick or Treat Event … Served as a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Representative for track and field and was the Auburn SAAC’s Student Government liaison.

Florida: Lorraine Graham (Sr., Springdale, Md., Jumps/Multis)
Has proven to be a leader for the Florida women’s track and field team in terms of community service and campus involvement … Has turned in 20 hours of service through the 2013-14 school year thus far and has helped with a wide variety of activities, whether tutoring at local elementary schools or helping to plan UF student-athlete events … A math tutor, Graham has helped tutor students at local Lincoln Middle School in the subject on three different occasions this year, and has contributed another four hours visiting with children at Williams Elementary School … Graham helped put on UF’s annual Climb for Cancer event in the fall – she spent nearly four hours at the event, where Florida athletic teams plan an entire day of camp activities for children battling cancer revolving around UF’s different sports … During the holiday season, Lorraine was on the Gator Tracks delivery team that distributed donated new shoes to needy children at local elementary schools in the Gainesville area … Graham is additionally involved in the UF Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and played a part in planning and executing the 2014 Florida Letterman Awards (FLAs) – UF’s take on the ESPYs. Graham spent time in the planning meeting, rehearsal and spent nearly three hours backstage executing at the 2014 FLAs on March 31 this year.

Georgia: Megan Malasarte (Sr., Fayetteville, Ga., Distance)
Volunteers at the University of Georgia Special Olympics, working with special needs children in the form of a softball game, teaching them sports skills and supervising them throughout game … Volunteers at Annual 5K DawgTrot and assisted with the Kid’s FunRun … Speaker at `Let’s Move’ Event for Clarke County Middle Schools speaking to middle school students about healthy living, eating nutritionally and being a student-athlete at the University of Georgia; Speaker at `Girl Power’ Event for Girl Scouts in front of Girl Scout troupes about topics such as academic achievement, leadership and bully prevention … Led one of four sports stations during P.E. program by coaching elementary school children on basics of running relays … Works with Shop With A Bulldawg program where she volunteers as a student mentor and raises money to take a child shopping for a day … Assists with supervising and greeting elementary kids as they walked to school in the morning at Barrow Elementary “Walk, Bike, & Skate to School”/”Safe Routes to School” program … Part of “Learn, Play, Excel” program by visiting Berta Weathersbee Elementary School (LaGrange, Ga.) and was one of five student-athlete speakers, spoke to the elementary school children about bullying and being a good friend.

Kentucky: Michelle Canterna (Jr., Florence, Ky., Pole Vault)
Has maintained a 3.94 GPA, in addition to having logged 133 community service hours while at UK … Was named a team captain for the 2014 season … An integral part of the UK Cats Cultivating Character program and has spent many hours volunteering at Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Center … Also has some elementary school mentoring hours documents and helps out every holiday season with ringing the bells for the Salvation Army … Was named to the SEC Freshman Honor Roll, The Athletics Director’s Honor Roll from 2011-13 and the SEC Honor Roll 2011-13.

LSU: Meghan Charbonnet (R-Fr., New Orleans, La., Distance)
Volunteer work includes serving food to the homeless at St. Vincent de Paul, working with Special Olympics, interacting with residents at a retirement community and helping to organize LSU’s annual Halloween BOOzar where she manned the Track & Field activity station and handed out candy to provide local youth a safe and fun environment … The current Community Service Chair on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and serves as one of the track and field representatives.

Ole Miss: Mary Ashton Nall (Sr., Auburn, Ala., Multi-Events)
An active participant in Reading with the Rebels, a program in which Ole Miss athletes read and mentor local elementary school students … Has helped with More than a Meal, serving food and helping tutor children of needy families from 2012-14 … A fundraising volunteer at St. Jude Hospital, participating in a letter-writing campaign, and the Carson Pitcock Foundation from 2010-14 … A Mississippi Blood Drive donor from 2010-14 … Assisted with the Adopt-A-Basket program and Shoebox Foundation for South American children … Volunteered with Toys for Tots, Feed the Hunger Pack-a-Thon, Race Reconciliation project, Martin Luther King Day and Mississippi tornado relief … Served as a counselor for 2014 Girls in Sports Day Camp, 2014 Move Mississippi … A Lafayette County Foster Family sponsor in 2013 and 2014 … A three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member and a 2013 USTFCCCA All-Academic … Named to the 2013-14 Who’s Who Among Students In American Universities and Colleges … A student assistant in the Ole Miss Athletics Media Relations department.

Mississippi State: Jessica Comer (Jr., Caledonia, Miss., Middle Distance)
A nursery and vacation bible school worker at Woodland Baptist Church … Volunteered with Bulldogs on the Move … A volunteer with Service Dawgs, the Sonbeams Special Needs Ministry and World Changers … A member of the SEC Academic Honor Rolls … Part of the Shackouls Honors College.

Tennessee: Allison Outerbridge (Sr., Sandys, Bermuda, Jumps)
Worked many hours with the Children’s Hospital in Knoxville, making more than 15 visits …. Helped with the holiday dinner for underprivileged in the Knoxville area .. Worked at the Ronald McDonald House … Took part in the Let’s Move initiative … Volunteered with the Emerald Youth organization … Assisted with the Run with Hope 5K … A three-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Rolls.

Texas A&M: Heather Sterling (Jr., Canton, Texas, Distance)
Vice President of Aggie Athletes Involved, a community service organization, and in February they held annual Hard Hats for Little Heads, a helmet safety awareness program for 3,049 fourth graders from the Brazos Valley and surrounding school districts … Helped organize group of student-athletes to speak at College Station Middle School about Bullying Awareness Prevention. Read short stories to children and their families at annual Family Reading Night at Johnson Elementary School. Also spoke to the high school students at A&M Consolidated about what it’s like to be a college athlete, as well as the importance of academics and doing well in school … As an executive chair of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) helped run and organize Aggies Can, the largest student-athlete canned food drive in the nation. This event provides the Brazos Valley Food bank with enough food to last through the winter and most of the spring, and a portion of it goes to our on-campus food bank, the 12th Can … Community service events this year included Big Event, where she helped to clean up a family’s yard, weeding and raking. Organized a group of student-athletes to deliver over 50 flower arrangements to the Bluebonnet Nursing Home in College Station … Through AAI and SAAC assists with the Junior Aggie Kids Club booths at the volleyball and soccer games along with their fall festival for children.

Vanderbilt: Brionne Williams (Sr., Hoover, Ala., Jumps)
Has volunteered with health and community development in South Africa … Was the co-founder of Vanderbilt F.O.O.D. … Her team’s track and field representative to the Vanderbilt Student-Athlete Advisory Committee since 2012 … Since 2003, has volunteered with the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Birmingham, Ala. … Has spent her summers as a volunteer youth track and field coach.