Alex Degen Named to SEC Community Service Team

Kentucky junior pitcher Alex Degen was named to the 2021 Southeastern Conference Community Service Team, the league announced Wednesday. It is Degen’s second time being named to the team.
 
Degen, who hails from Readington Township, New Jersey, has completed 136 hours of community service during his UK career. He is deeply involved with the Ronald McDonald House, where he has served dinner, cleaned residents’ rooms, washed dishes and more. The social work major also has served at a local elementary school as a mentor for children with difficult home situations and who were showing signs of falling behind in school, as well as with God’s Pantry.
 
Degen comes from a family of service, which has instilled in him a calling to helping others.
 
“My dad (Ken) has been a long-time volunteer with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey,” Degen said. “My mom (Liz) knits blankets and donates them to hospitals, and my sister (Allie) currently is in the second year of an internship program with the nonprofit Teach for America where she is placed in underprivileged communities and tasked with teaching science at the elementary school level. Service runs to the core of my family’s mission and belief system.”
 
Degen has been one of the Wildcats’ top pitchers in 2021, going 2-0 with a 3.60 earned run average in 10 appearances. He has struck out 21 and walked just five in 20.0 innings pitched.
 
“Alex is the epitome of a servant leader,” UK coach Nick Mingione said. “His dedication to selflessly helping others is inspiring. We ask the young men in our program to be role models on and off the field and Alex is a shining example of that.”
 
More information on the Lexington branch of the Ronald McDonald House can be found at rmhclexington.com.