March 4, 2013
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky women’s basketball junior guard Kastine Evans has been named to the Southeastern Conference Community Service Team, as announced by the league office Monday morning.
The Salem, Conn., native has been very involved in community service projects during her three seasons at Kentucky. She participated in a service trip in Ethiopia last summer where she interacted with residents of impoverished communities, planned sporting activities with children and helped renovate houses. When she returned home, she began working with UK’s administration and compliance personnel to create her own non-profit organization for children called, “Shooting at Success.” SAS, which launched on Jan. 28, 2013, provides children from low income families an outlet after school to help them create strong character development, establish dynamic and powerful personalities, and inspire them to achieve academically, in extracurricular activities, and in life.
“I’m really honored to be named to this Community Service team as it shows the efforts student-athletes put in outside their already required times for athletics and academics,” Evans said. “I love giving back to my community. I’m giving back because I want to give children, who weren’t as privileged as I was growing up, opportunities to reach their goals.”
Evans also volunteered last summer at Lexington’s local Ronald McDonald House, a “home away from home” for seriously ill children and their families. She, along with teammate Samarie Walker (West Carrollton), cleaned rooms in the house once a week. Other community service events include: helping pack relief bags for UK’s Joplin Tornado Relief program, volunteering as a Salvation Army bell ringer during the holiday break, and volunteering at Lexington’s Fire Prevention Parade.
Evans was recently named to UK’s prestigious Society of Character, which honors Wildcats who have shown an extraordinary commitment to academic excellence, athletic participation, personal development, career preparation and serving as a role model.
On the court, the 5-foot-8 guard has played in all 29 games this season, and is averaging 7.2 points per contest in her last six starting assignments. She was instrumental in wins over nationally ranked South Carolina and Texas A&M as she tied her season high with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting against the 10th-ranked Aggies on Feb. 18, and scored all 11 of her points in the Wildcats’ 16-point second half comeback against No. 16/14 South Carolina on Feb. 14.
No. 7/10 Kentucky will play again Friday, March 8 at 6 p.m. EST in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament in The Arena at the Gwinnett Center in Duluth, Ga. The Wildcats will play the winner of No. 7 seed Vanderbilt vs. No. 10 seed Missouri.
