Sarr Named to SEC Community Service Team
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Kentucky men’s basketball senior Olivier Sarr was named to the Southeastern Conference’s Men’s Basketball Community Service team on Thursday. Sarr is UK’s representative on the 14-man team that honors players’ exemplary service to their communities.
This marks the 23rd year for the SEC Community Service Team for men’s basketball. All 21 league-sponsored sports have had a Community Service Team since 2004. The team honors student-athletes beyond the court for their on-going efforts in the community.
Sarr has engaged in nearly 100 hours of community service throughout his collegiate career split between Wake Forest and Kentucky. Some of his favorite projects include: “Project Pumpkin,” which was a Halloween-themed carnival for kids, “Hit the Bricks,” a run to raise awareness and funds for cancer research, “Campus Kitchens,” where he would deliver meals to needy neighborhoods, and his visits to the local children’s hospital. The hospital visits are what he lists as the most meaningful to him as he interacted with patients and families of children faced with life-threatening injuries and illnesses.
The COVID-19 pandemic has halted a number of traditional Kentucky community service projects, but Sarr and his teammates did participate in the annual Christmas drive where the team – with the support of the Caliparis and local businesses – selected around 10-12 families to provide food, gifts, rent checks and other needs to identified families.
He also has participated in several Zoom sessions to help inspire local elementary school children. Sarr also participated in the team’s “Read Across America” day video in which the squad read aloud the book, “Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do you Hear?”
The Bordeaux, France, native is one of the team’s three captains. He was also one of the leaders who helped initiate a players-driven message regarding social injustices in the country. The initiative resulted in the players producing a public message brining attention to the cause, as well as internal conversations with teammates and the coaching staff about their own experiences.
Sarr has appeared in more than 100 career games and more than 50 starts. As a Wildcat, Sarr has produced three double-doubles and is averaging 10.5 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Prior to his season at Kentucky, Sarr was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference performer at Wake Forest. He was a third-team pick in 2019-20 and the runner-up for the league’s Most Improved Player honor. Sarr was a two-time ACC Player of the Week selection and became just the 12th player in Wake Forest history to earn the award multiple times in a single season. He has topped double-figure scoring in more than 35 games and has logged 13 career double-doubles.
Sarr is pursuing a degree in communication and is on track to graduate in May of 2021. He owns a 3.337 combined grade-point average between his time at Wake Forest and Kentucky and was an All-ACC Academic Team honoree three times and has been a Dean’s List member every semester.
He was one of 30 initial candidates for the 2021 Senior CLASS Award, which honors student-athletes of high character for their efforts in the community, classroom and in competition.
Kentucky concludes the regular season on Saturday against South Carolina. That game will tip at noon on ESPN.
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