May 14, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky track and field student-athletes Shelby Kennard and Josh Nadzam have each been named to the Southeastern Conference Community Service Teams for their hard work off the track and in the community, it was announced by the league office Monday.
The SEC sponsors community service teams for all 20 league-sponsored sports. The community service team looks to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to their community in superior service efforts.
Kennard was a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House, Club 3:16 and Lake Pointe Church Vacation Bible School. Kennard also participated in the Read Across America event and CATS Cultivating Center. The community service honor is the first of her UK career. The Rockwall, Texas, native is the first-place record holder at Kentucky both indoors and outdoors in the pole vault.
Nadzam was named to the SEC Community Service Team for the third-straight year. The senior social work major helped work at Habitat for Humanity and did bell ringing with the Salvation Army. Nadzam also visited the Lexington Montessori School to participate in their “Reading with the Stars” program, went to the Community Inn homeless shelter, helped at the preparation for the Lexington Public Library Book Sale and the 2011 SEC Food Drive.
In addition to being named to the SEC Community Service Team, Nadzam was one of three recipients of the prestigious Sullivan Medallion earlier this year and was one of five finalists for the 2012 John Wooden Citizenship Cup. For the second consecutive year, Nadzam joined with Soles for Souls, a non-profit organization that helps distribute all types of shoes to under-privileged countries around the world, to put on a shoe drive at the University of Kentucky. After a highly successful drive last year, now each school in the SEC is participating in Soles for Souls in hopes of gathering the most shoes. Nadzam and fellow teammate Luis Orta lead the Wildcats in the drive.
In the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday, Kennard finished in a tie for 11th in the women’s pole vault with a season-best mark of 12-04.50/3.77m. Also on Saturday, Nadzam finished third in the preliminaries of the 1,500m run with a time of 3:49.66. In the finals of the 1,500m, Nadzam placed eighth with a time of 3:54.18, earning the UK men’s team one point.
For more Kentucky track and field news and information, follow the Cats on Twitter at “KentuckyTrack” and go to UKathletics.com.
2012 SEC Community Service Team – Cross Country and Track & Field
Terrell Mickens – Alabama
Amethyst Holmes – Alabama
Terry Prentice – Arkansas
Whitney Jones – Arkansas
Marcus Rowland – Auburn
Max Lang – Florida
Alishea Usery – Florida
Kyle James – Georgia
Carin Walker – Georgia
Josh Nadzam – Kentucky
Shelby Kennard – Kentucky
Brandon Gordon – LSU
Katie Carroll – LSU
Carson Blanks – Ole Miss
Logan Waites – Ole Miss
Chris Campbell – South Carolina
Erin Fedewa – South Carolina
Kevin Carney – Tennessee
Chelsea Knotts – Tennessee
Nia Washington – Vanderbilt
