The Southeastern Conference on Friday announced its 2014 Men’s and Women's Swimming and Diving Community Service Team. The SEC sponsors Community Service Teams for all league sports. The SEC Community Service Team looks to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to his community in superior service efforts.
The 2014 SEC Men’s Swimming and Diving Community Service Team is as follows:
Philip Dockery, Alabama
Worked in the Tuscaloosa community as part of Kids Club through his home church, investing in the lives of kids of all ages that live in local government housing project … Set up a clinic in a rural community in Nicaragua, providing medical care… member of Alabama’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, helping direct the community service activities of UA’s student-athletes … took part in Habitat Humanity work days … worked with Tuscaloosa community children during the Crimson Tide’s annual Halloween Extravaganza and Project Angel Tree party … took part in Alabama Swimming and Diving Team’s annual Laps for CF event at the Alabama Aquatic Center … participated in the Tide’s Power of Pink initiative, raising awareness in the fight against breast cancer.
Peter Haas, Auburn
Participated in Swim for MS, a team fundraiser to benefit Trudi Hawke, wife of head coach Brett Hawke … Volunteered with the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation, developing a fundraising campaign to benefit the children of fallen American service members, raising more than 10,000 by hosting a swim-a-thon event to generate proceeds … Volunteers time at local food banks and homes for under-privileged children … Also participates in local food drives and hospital visits as part of Auburn’s SAAC committee’s monthly events … Volunteer Swim Coach at Redfield Sun Devils Swim Club (Dunwoody, Ga.) … Helped lead Auburn Athletics AUSPY Spirit Awards … Secretary and social media chair of the Auburn Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Colin Hamilton, Florida
Volunteered at the Kid’s Club Halloween Event … Participated in the 2013 Climb for Cancer … Helped out with the St. Augustine Canned Food Drive … Attended the UF Health-Shands Hospital visit for juniors and seniors over Winter Break … Contributes to the Gator Move program in local schools since its inception in September of 2013.
Connor Sweeney, Georgia
Currently serving as a Vice President for the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which identifies and participates in community service projects … Worked with Safe Routes to School to promote and encourage safe transportation and attendance to Athens area elementary school students … Volunteered for Annual Hometown Heroes Special Olympics Baseball Game … Helped organize and facilitate UGA Swim and Dive participation in the Hunger Bowl, donating money and food to families and others in need in the Athens area … Taught swim lessons to lower-income Bogart area children … Helped organize and participated in writing Christmas letters to deployed troops … Helped and donated items to Toys for Tots … Worked at the 2013 UGA Bulldog Swim Camp as volunteer coach … Volunteered at the Hillel at UGA Winter Party Celebration … Volunteered at the 2014 Polar Bear PlungeFest.
Maclin Simpson, Kentucky
Participated in an Ethiopian Mission Trip (summer 2013) … Volunteered with the UK Children’s Hospital Blanket Project, Back Pack Program packing and delivery, Back-to-School Picnic and Cats Cultivating Character … Inducted into Kentucky’s prestigious Frank G. Ham Society of Character.
Colin Finnegan, LSU
Participated in multiple Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital Visits(2013 &2014) … Volunteered for the LSU BOOzar, Thanksgiving with the Tigers(2013 &2014), Geaux Big Day of Service (2013 & 2014), Volunteer Coaching at Tiger Aquatics … Volunteered doing Pet Therapy at the Baton General Regional Medical Center … Social Chairman of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
Logan Mosley, Missouri
Mosley has been an active member of the Columbia community in his two years at Mizzou … He volunteered at The Food Bank of Central & Northeast Missouri, Granny’s House, ParentLink Fall Tiger Family Fest and participated in Missouri’s “You Can Play” video … Additionally, Mosley is active in his local church, including two semesters volunteering at Crossing Kids.
Jay Warner, South Carolina
During his time at South Carolina, Jay Warner has participated in numerous community service events, working on the planning committee for Swim 4 Nathaniel, which was set up for a young swimmer who had a brain tumor, helping with the Walk for Diabetes and raising money for Relay for Life … Has also been a part of Cocky’s Reading Express in which he has gone to local elementary schools and read to kids, and has worked with Transitions to help feed the homeless.
Carl Svagerko, Tennessee
Helped at two city running events: The Rev3 5K Glow Run and the Man Run. The Rev3 5K, which benefitted former UT swimmer Nicole Gross and her sister who were injured in the Boston Marathon bombing … Participated in the Breast4Breasts clinic, a swimming clinic with proceeds benefitting the UT Medical Center Cancer Institute … Participated in VOLoween, a Halloween activity with youth.
Hayden Duplechain, Texas A&M
Has been an active participant in the student athlete community since his freshman year … Has been a part of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee for the past three years and has done something different within SAAC each year … Last year he was in charge of public relations, and this year he is in charge of managing the website … In addition to being a member of SAAC, Hayden has also participated in Aggies CAN (canned food drive) and Film on the Field for the past three years … Last year, Hayden helped with the Aggie Athletes Involved coat drive, Hard Hats for Little Heads, and last semester he helped with the Main Street mentoring program.
The 2014 SEC Women’s Swimming and Diving Community Service Team is as follows:
Paige McCleary, Alabama
Worked with Tuscaloosa community children during the Crimson Tide’s annual Halloween Extravaganza and Project Angel Tree party … Visited and spent time with residents at the Glen Haven Health & Rehabilitation Center … took part in Alabama Swimming and Diving Team’s annual Laps for CF event at the Alabama Aquatic Center … participated in the Tide’s Power of Pink initiative, raising awareness in the fight against breast cancer … member of Alabama’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, helping direct the community service activities of UA’s student-athletes … 2013 member of the SEC Community Service team.
Lizzy Whitbeck, Arkansas
Has volunteered with the Miracle League and Feed Our Starving Children … Has also participated in the University of Arkansas’ Sweat Hawgs and Book Hogs programs … Has volunteered with Lift Up America with Tyson Foods, the Animal Shelter in Fayetteville and the Special Olympics of Fayetteville … Is secretary of the University of Arkansas’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Summer Stephens, Florida
Organized several community service events for the entire swim team including trips to UF Health-Shands Hospital over winter break … Visited Shell Elementary in April for 2.5 hours … Assisted with Gator Tracks shoe drive for needy children in time for Christmas … Volunteered at the Kid’s Club Halloween Event … Participated in the 2013 Climb for Cancer … Helped out with the St. Augustine Canned Food Drive … Aided the Miracle on Main Street event.
Shannon Vreeland, Georgia
Currently serving on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which identifies and participates in community service projects … Volunteered at the Athens Food Bank with the women’s swim team … Volunteered for UGAs Reading for the Blind and Dyslexic … Spoke at an anti-bullying assembly for middle school kids in Athens and read to elementary school kids for Dr. Seuss Day … Volunteered with Special Olympics, attending events like Special Olympics prom and Home runs for Hometown Rivals … Participated with other athletes in Safe Routes to School with a local elementary school … As a member of the UGA Leadership Academy, participated in events like volunteering at an Atlanta charter school, speaking with and spending time with the kids … Spoke with, read to, had lunches with and spent time with local elementary school and middle school kids and local swimmers … Helped coach swim clinics for the Athens Bulldogs Swim Club … Chosen as a representative for a study on alcohol prevention and abuse about resources and potential changes to be made at UGA … Participated in collection of money and food for various food and clothing drives for the SEC.
Abby Myers, Kentucky
An International Book Project volunteer … Coached Fintastics team for the Special Olympics YMCA … A United Way collection drive volunteer … Worked on the UK Children’s Hospital Blanket Project, Cats Cultivating Character and the Back Pack Program delivery … A 2014 nominee for the University of Kentucky’s prestigious Frank G. Ham Society of Character.
Kyara Jones, LSU
LSU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President … Volunteered with LPB Young Heroes Day, Geaux Big Baton Rouge, Habitat for Humanity, Superbowl XLVII NFL Experience, LSU Spring Greening Day, Thanksgiving with the Tigers, Halloween BOOzar, Baton Rouge Food bank, LSU Dorm Move In Day and the Sweet Olive Cemetery Clean Up.
Lexi Spivak, Missouri
Spivak has been active in the Columbia community since she arrived at Mizzou … The Darien, Ill., native has participated in the Race for the Cure, Heritage Festival, ParentLink Fall Tiger Family Fest, 100x100 Swim cancer fundraiser, MS 150 Bike Ride and has been a Special Olympics buddy for National Student-Athlete Day … Additionally, Spivak spent time volunteering for The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri, Boys & Girls Town of Missouri.
Taylor Josserand, South Carolina
Throughout her academic and athletic career at South Carolina, Taylor Josserand has always made time to give back to the community … She has continued to participate in events such as the Walk to Cure Diabetes, where she gathered volunteers and assisted in the set-up of the walk, and Relay for Life, where she has helped raise funds for the event … Josserand has worked with the university’s Reading Express program, coordinating the Race to Read event, Transitions which disperses meals to the homeless, and has volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House … She also serves at the president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Lauren Solernou, Tennessee
Volunteer at the UT Medical Center … Helped at the Man Run, a prostate cancer fundraising 5K … Christmas caroling at a nursing home … Participated in the Breast4Breasts Clinic, with proceeds benefitting the UT Medical Center Cancer Institute … Worked at a holiday dinner for the underprivileged in Knoxville … Worked at the Sacred Heart book fair.
Kelli Benjamin, Texas A&M
Organized and directed the 2013 Aggies CAN canned food drive for the Brazos Valley Food Bank, which raised $33,000 and 12,000 pounds of food items (this was the one of the highest amounts in the event’s history) … Also volunteered for Aggies CAN as a freshman and sophomore … Went to an elementary school once a month and emphasizing to the children the importance of healthy living and nutrition. … three-year volunteer for the annual Aggie Athletes Involved coat drive, which gathered coats for the homeless during the winter season for the Brazos Valley Food Bank … Athree-year volunteer for the annual Film on the Field, where student-athletes organize a free movie showing on the Kyle Field big screen to help promote community unity … A two-year volunteer for Hard Hats for Little Heads, which showed young children the importance of wearing a bike helmet … Current Vice President and President-elect for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
Alyx Vernon, Vanderbilt
Volunteers for both Homeward Bound and the $100 Solution … Homeward Bound, located in her home state of California, is a dog shelter for Golden Retrievers … Every summer Vernon assists homeward bound by providing her services to the organization … She is the co-founder and board member of the $100 Solution, which is an organization whose goal is to educate underprivileged children on the importance of nutrition and exercise … Finished her first season as the head coach of the Belle Meade Country Club swim team this past year, leading them to their first undefeated season in four years … She also acts as a swim coach for SwimAmerica-Nashville … Vernon is also a leader outside of the pool … She spent last spring break in Lima, Peru doing relief work at a local orphanage … That trip was followed up by a “Vanderbilt Maymester” in Vienna, Austria, which was a six week course on international diplomacy … Finally, Vernon is actively involved in the Vanderbilt community, serving as the Vice President for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.
