2023 SEC Track and Field Community Service Team

 Julian Collins, Alabama

Collins helped serve the local Tuscaloosa community through a variety of routes during the
season, first being with Habitat for Humanity where he assisted with the building of houses for
the members of the local community. He also volunteered with the West Alabama Food Bank by
assisting with the preparation of food to be distributed to young students and local Tuscaloosa
residents for the holiday season. Collins would also give his time at the Crimson Tide’s annual
Halloween Extravaganza, an event that celebrates Halloween and allows local children in the
community to dress up, play games and trick-or-treat with current Alabama student-athletes. Before
his season was over, Collins also served at The RISE Center where he would help young children
develop necessary skills to succeed both in and out of the classroom.

 Margaret Conteh, Alabama

Conteh volunteered with Habitat for Humanity where she helped build houses for local members
of the Tuscaloosa community. She also gave her time at The RISE Center where she would help
young children develop necessary skills needed to succeed both in and out of the classroom.
Conteh would continue her focus on giving back to the community by volunteering at the West
Alabama Food Bank, where she spent time preparing food to be distributed to young students and
the local Tuscaloosa community for the holidays.

 Rhett Nelson, Arkansas

Nelson totaled 22 hours of community service. He logged 15 hours at Leverett Elementary, working
with kids on school work as well as being with them during PE and recess.

 Paris Peoples, Arkansas

Peoples’ community service projects included Coach for Literacy, and Root Elementary Rocket Run
Timed races for Arkansas women’s swim team Volunteered at high school meet hosted by Arkansas
Volunteer at Harlem Children Zone in New York City.

 Oquendo Bernard, Auburn

Bernard was a two-year letterwinner for the Tigers’ track and field program and a three-time Auburn
Dean’s List honoree. A member of the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society and Hispanic Honor Society, he
received the Castanoli Scholarship for study abroad and the Frederick A. and Charlene Y. Kam Family
Fund for Excellence award. In the community, Bernard assisted with the campus gameday recycling
program, volunteered for Mother’s Against Drunk Driving, wrote and published weekly articles for the
Auburn University Living Democracy program website and also served as an ambassador to the
College of Liberal Arts and promoted career services events.

 Sara Pacer, Auburn

Pacer has served locally in the Auburn-Opelika area as a four-year mentor and tutor at the Esperanza
House, volunteered as a medical assistant at Mercy Medical Ministry & Clinic and as a counselor at The
Oaks School. An eight semester Dean’s List student, Pacer also has volunteered as a medical assistant
at an underserved clinic in Guatemala and also been a mission community leader for two years at First
Baptist Church of Opelika. Majoring in biomedical sciences and minoring in Spanish, the Auburn,
Alabama, native was Auburn’s 2022 Female Scholar Athlete of the Year, has twice been the College of
Science and Mathematics Outstanding student and is a member of several academic societies.

 Osaji Skyers, Florida

Skyers has completed 16.5 hours of community service. He has volunteered eight hours with the Gators
Lunch Buddies program and spent four hours helping to promote the importance of books and education
in the communities both local and international. Skyers volunteered 4.5 hours mentoring children and youth
in the community.

 Ashley Klingenberg, Florida

Klingenberg completed 33.75 hours of community service and spent over 10 hours volunteering at the local
hospital. She helped coordinate and take part in the Gators Tracks program, delivering shoes to in need
children in the community. She also worked with Special Olympics Florida and other organizations on
inclusion programs.

 Caleb Cavanaugh, Georgia

Cavanaugh volunteered at Chase Street Elementary’s field day and played games with the kids, teaching
them different fun exercises to do. He also participated at the UGA Spooky Dawgs event where he and
teammates spent time with kids in the Athens area for a Halloween event. He helped out at the Salvation
Army’s Angel Tree event, spending time with kids who have a parent(s) who has been incarcerated. He
also cheered on Special Olympics athletes during their parade and gave time to the Special Olympics
Prom where he spent time with the athletes and volunteered to get pie thrown in his face for the event.
Cavanaugh also volunteered at the Special Olympics baseball game, helping out the athletes play a
game of baseball on Georgia’s Foley Field, run the bases and enjoy themselves.

 Titiana Marsh, Georgia

Marsh volunteered for 35 hours to Bigger Vision Community Shelter in Athens and she worked with a local
group named Girl Power, offering activity stations with elementary age girls and doing Q&As with them
before UGA athletic events. Marsh also gave time for Spooky Dawgs, which was a program around
Halloween that entertained area students. She donated time for the Hometown Hero event and acted as
the Chair for Girl Talk, which encourages local school age girls and puts on events for them. She served
as a committee member for the DEI committee within the UGA Athletic Association and volunteered for
litter pickup with the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. Marsh also participated in a pre-K children’s book video.

 Langston Jackson, Kentucky

Jackson has completed 32 hours of community service within and around the Lexington community this
year. He has worked closely with the FCA chapter on campus to help share his testimony and journey as
a student athlete. He has read books and shared his story with several local schools in the area. He even
spent time organizing and assisting with the Eastern Kentucky flood relief program.

 Phoebe McCowan, Kentucky

McCowan has completed 27 hours of community service this year helping at the University of Kentucky
hospital. She has assisted with the general needs of patients and families while also assisting in research
needs through a mentor. She helped organize a research meeting with cancer patients, physicians, and
other members of a cancer patient’s care team.

 Jackson Martingayle, LSU

Martingayle volunteers in public schools to assist elementary school students improve reading. He also
served with the Gardere initiative as a volunteer intern helping with a summer program where kids in a
socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhood can make friends and keep up on their schooling. He has
also served as an undergraduate teaching assistant, helping freshmen with writing.

 Thelma Davies, LSU Davies’ community service activities include: volunteering with the Walls Project, the Athletics annual
BOOzar event, and participation in Tiger Life service socials.  Ahmad Young Jr., Ole Miss Young’s activities include: Adopt A Basket, through which the athletics department donated Thanksgiving
baskets to families in need throughout the Lafayette-Oxford-University Community (LOU); collected over
1,300 items and completed 107 holiday baskets for the Adopt-a-Basket initiative; Feed The Sip, in which
he helped collect and donate over 5,000 non-perishable food items the children in Tunica and Quitman
counties; Jackson, MS Water Collection, in which he assisted in the Jackson, MS water crisis; Ole Miss
Athletics collected water to families in need throughout the Jackson, MS area; collected over 5,000
bottles of water; Reading with the Rebels where he visited the local elementary schools in the L.O.U.
areas to promote reading literacy and engage with students in the classrooms.  Jayda Eckford, Ole Miss Eckford’s activities include: Adopt A Basket, through which the athletics department donated Thanksgiving
baskets to families in need throughout the Lafayette-Oxford-University Community (LOU); collected over
1,300 items and completed 107 holiday baskets for the Adopt-a-Basket initiative; Feed The Sip, helped
collect and donate over 5,000 non-perishable food items the children in Tunica and Quitman counties;
MS Tornado Relief, Helped collect over 6,000 non-perishable food items and hygiene products for the
MS Tornado Relief project, in support of those recently affected by the tornado in the Mississippi Delta;
Jackson, MS Water Collection, in which he assisted in the Jackson, MS water crisis; Ole Miss Athletics
collected water to families in need throughout the Jackson, MS area; collected over 5,000 bottles of water.  Trent Zelden, Mississippi State Zelden’s activities include the annual Trick or Treat with our Dawgs where Trent handed out Halloween
candy to fans before the soccer game.  Julia Lasley, Mississippi State Lasley’s activities include: Mississippi State University Service Dawgs Day (Cleaned up Trash at McKee
Park) – The Partnership Morning Drop Off (Greet the students and provided them with encouragement and
motivation when they arrived at school in the morning) – Jackson Water Drive (Helped transport bottles of
water to campus to help support the water crisis in Jackson, MS) – Pink Dawg Walk (Mississippi State’s
walk for breast cancer awareness) – SOUP Flag Football Game (Attended the special Olympics flag football
game to support the athletes) – The Partnership Morning Drop Off (Greet the students and provided them
with encouragement and motivation when they arrived at school in the morning) – The Partnership Morning
Drop Off (Greet the students and provided them with encouragement and motivation when they arrived at
school in the morning) – The Boys and Girls Club (spent time with the kids in the aftercare program) – West
Point Clay County Animal Shelter (Walked and helped bathe dogs).  Georgi Nachev, Missouri Nachev has served with a wide variety of entities to help enhance both his hometown community in Yambol,
Bulgaria, and his college community in Columbia, Mo. during the 2022-23 school year. The senior has
repeatedly volunteered as a coach with his hometown track club, encouraging youth sports participation.
Nachev also assisted with a Halloween celebration for kids in Columbia, passing out treats to members of the
community. The triple jumper took an active role with Special Olympics Missouri, participating in the
organization’s bowling night. Finally, Nachev has assisted the local food bank in Missouri by packaging and
sorting items for those in need.  Mikayla Reed, Missouri Reed, a Missouri senior, has participated in over 120 hours of community service this year. Reed has given her
time to the Cedar Creek Therapeutic Riding Center which provides equine therapy for people in Mid-Missouri
with physical, mental and emotional disabilities. The senior has also assisted Special Olympics Missouri,
volunteering repeatably at the organization’s summer softball leagues. In March, Reed served during a
read-a-thon at Gant Elementary School in Columbia. Finally, the senior has led youth sports in her collegiate
city, volunteering as a coach for the Blue Thunder Track Club.  Kieley Gayle, South Carolina Gayle won the Gamecock Gala Leadership Award for her service to the community. She is a member of SAAC,
the Leadership Academy, Black Business Student Association and Collegiate Curls. She is also a regular visitor
to the Richland 2 School district and participant in the Gamecock Games.  Kameron Helmlinger, Tennessee In his fourth season with the Tennessee track & field program, Kameron Helmlinger has made a conscious effort
to give back to the Knoxville community during his senior year. The Mechanicsville, Virginia, native volunteered
during PE classes at Lonsdale Elementary School last fall, sharing the importance of an active lifestyle with local
youth. He also assisted at UT’s annual Community Holiday Meal in November. This spring, he has dedicated time
to serving the kids ministry at Sevier Heights Baptist Church.  Callie Tucker, Tennessee A member of the Tennessee track & field and cross country programs since the fall of 2020, Knoxville native Callie
Tucker has logged more than 200 hours of community service during her time as a Lady Volunteer. The bulk of her
service work has taken place at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, volunteering weekly, working the information
desk and engaging in activities and games with patients to help pass the time. She has also volunteered time at
the Community Holiday Meal and Kickball with Curt and Friends. A four-time member of the SEC Academic Honor
Roll, Tucker was a member of the 2022-23 VOLeaders Academy cohort that is set to travel to the Philippines this
summer for a cultural immersion service trip.  Patrick Johnson II, Texas A&M Johnson II is heavily involved in multiple extracurricular activities including The B.L.U.E.print (Black Leaders who
Undertake Excellence), SAAC and Aggies CAN. A “Maroon Coat” for the Texas A&M Foundation, Johnson
demonstrates exceptional character and leadership on and off the track. He also serves as a member of “The 12,”
which is the leadership group of the track & field team. Johnson serves as a Student Ambassador for the 12th Man
Foundation. He served as director of Traditions Night, which introduces freshman student-athletes to Texas A&M’s
unique traditions. As a volunteer deputy registrar, Johnson successfully registered over 300 Texas A&M students to
vote. He also traveled with the “Aggies for Haiti” mission trip where he helped build homes for local citizens and
coordinated sports competitions for local youth.  Julia Abell, Texas A&M Abell currently serves as the President of SAAC and was on the executive board in 2021-22. Other leadership
roles she has served in is on the 12th Man Foundation Collegiate Council, “The 12” the track & field leadership
group, Freshman Aggies Spreading Tradition (FAST), FCA and assistant coordinator for student-athlete
experience in the athletic department.  Joslin Blair, Vanderbilt Blair was the co-organizer of the National Girls and Women in Sports Day event with the Vanderbilt University
Athletics Department. Other activities include: NIL Competition: Shift Group volunteer; volunteered at the Jones
Paideia Holiday Party; volunteered at the Vanderbilt University Athletics Summer Internship Fair; volunteered with
Soles4Souls; and volunteered at the Vanderbilt Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Internship Fair Sign Up.