BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – University of Arkansas gymnast Hannah McLeod and University of Kentucky football player Antoine Huffman have been named recipients of the 2005-2006 Southeastern Conference Community Service Post-Graduate Scholarship, Commissioner Mike Slive announced Wednesday.
The two were chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from SEC universities. Each will receive a $5,000 post-graduate scholarship, provided by the SEC.
“The Southeastern Conference is proud to honor the achievements of Hannah and Antoine and the services they have provided in their campus communities,” said Slive. “Hannah and Antoine have helped others and made their communities a better place to live through their community service actions. They are outstanding representatives of their families, their institutions, the Southeastern Conference and intercollegiate athletics.”
Huffman was a senior cornerback for the Wildcat football team in 2005. In 11 games, he totaled 46 tackles with seven pass deflections. A two-year starter for the Wildcats, he became UK?s career pass deflection leader with 27. In 2005, he was a finalist for the Wuerffel Trophy, honoring the top college football player who best combines exemplary community service with outstanding academic and athletic achievement. He was also a finalist for the ARA Sportsmanship Award, a semifinalist for the Lott Trophy and was named ESPN The Magazine second team Academic All-America.
The Jonesboro, Ga. native, was a three-time ESPN The Magazine All-District IV selection and received the Carol Sutton Minority Scholarship in the fall of 2004. He has been a Dean?s List student (4.0 GPA) in the spring and summer of 2004 and was named a member of the American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team. He has been active in Athletes in Action, serving as its chapter vice-president in 2002-03, a member of the UK Outreach Committee and the UK Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, serving as president in 2004-06. He was a participant in the 2005 NCAA Leadership Conference, was a member of the UK Athletics Board of Directors and the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society.
In the community, he has been active in Habitat for Humanity, Boys and Girls Club, the Salvation Army, speaking to local churches and schools, taught monthly character development lessons to third grade classes, mentored high school students, visited young hospital patients and underprivileged children.
The son of Aspie Huffman, he earned his undergraduate degree in May 2005 and is currently working on his master?s in mass communications at Kentucky.
McLeod is a senior for the Lady Razorback gymnastics squad, participating in the uneven bars and the all-around. She was a team captain for three seasons. The Orlando, Fla. native, has been named Academic Scholar-Athlete by the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches for Women for three consecutive years. She was one of the first gymnasts signed to the Lady Razorback program, which started in 2002.
The daughter of Robert and Nancy McLeod, has represented the University of Arkansas at the NCAA Leadership Conference and has served on the Arkansas? Women?s Athletics Student-Athlete Advisory Committee since 2003. She has earned SEC Academic Honor Roll status in each year at Arkansas as well as Dean?s List and National Merit Scholar. She has earned an Honors College Fellowship at UA as well as an Honors College Undergraduate Research grant.
In the community, she has helped families in need in an Adopt-A-Family program, helped underprivileged children as part of the Razorbacks for Christmas campaign and assisted at the Russell Home for Atypical Children. She has helped raise money for Special Olympics and has participated in the American Heart Association Heart Walk. As a member of Arkansas Athletes Outreach, she has spoken at local churches and schools, counseled high school athletes, helped coordinate gymnastics lessons at the Fayetteville Boys and Girls Clubs and the Feed the Families campaign for families in need in Northwest Arkansas.
A biology major, McLeod has also volunteered in medical clinics in Honduras and Florida. She will enter medical school in August.
In addition, 11 other male and 11 other female recipients for the Community Service Award will receive a $2,000 scholarship, provided by the SEC.
The 11 other male recipients are: Greg McLain, Football, Alabama; James Johnson, Football, Arkansas; Tommy Jackson, Football, Auburn; Sekou Clarke, Track and Field, Florida; Jay McAuley, Georgia, Basketball; Paul White, LSU, Tennis; Juan Pablo Di Cesare, Tennis, Ole Miss, Jared Jimenez, Golf, Mississippi State; Howard Clark, Football, South Carolina; Zachary Sabatino, Track and Field, Tennessee; Brent Richard, Soccer, Vanderbilt.
The 11 other female recipients are: Dana Pierce, Gymnastics, Alabama; Ronda Gullatte, Track and Field, Auburn; Dara Altman, Track and Field, Florida; Christina Hupman, Swimming, Georgia; Bethany Strauch, Gymnastics, Kentucky; Kelly Lea, Gymnastics, LSU; Ashleigh Shear, Volleyball, Ole Miss; Zita Magliore, Track and Field, Mississippi State; Kemesha Whitmire, Track and Field, South Carolina; Abbigail Terveer, Swimming, Tennessee; Anna-Laura Morgan, Track and Field, Vanderbilt.
The SEC Community Service Post-Graduate Scholarship was first presented in 1996. Past recipients include: 2005 – Jordan Fairclotch, LSU (baseball) and Holly Hodges, South Carolina (diving); 2004 – Michael Boynton, South Carolina (basketball) and Virginia Pate, Georgia (swimming & diving); 2003 – Brett Kirouac, Georgia (football) and Kara Lawson, Tennessee (basketball); 2002 – Eric vanGoethem, Auburn (swimming) and Andree’ Pickens, Alabama (gymnastics); 2001 – Lance Jones, Ole Miss (basebal) and Gabby Fuchs, Florida (gymnastics); 2000 – Brett Millican, Georgia (football) and Brooke Riley, Ole Miss (soccer); 1999 – BJ McKie, South Carolina (basketball) and Carrie Kuhnell, Kentucky (soccer); 1998 – Walker Jones, Ole Miss (football) and Nicole Lees, Alabama (soccer); 1997 – Tim Lanier, LSU (baseball) and Andrea Bullock, Vanderbilt (golf); 1996 – Tony Johnson, Alabama (football) and Erin Tenbrunsel, Alabama (volleyball).
