AUBURN, Ala. – Mykenzie Leehy and Michael Bonson were both selected by the Southeastern Conference to represent Auburn on the SEC's 2022 Swimming and Diving Community Service Teams, the league announced Tuesday.
The men's and women's teams, which have a representative from each school, highlight student-athletes in the SEC who give back to their communities in superior service efforts.
Leehy is a graduate transfer from the University of Houston where she swam the previous four seasons. While in Houston, she helped put on holiday events for kids at M.D. Anderson Hospital. She also walked dogs and cleaned kennels for Houston Pets Alive and worked with the Houston Food Bank where she created lunch bags for kids to have lunches.
Since coming to Auburn, Leehy has given her time to help instruct swimmers as a part of the Special Olympics Swimming program at the Opelika Sportsplex. She previously served as a meal site volunteer back in her hometown of Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Bonson is in his second year at Auburn and has made helping in the community a priority both on campus and back in his home state of Louisiana. Over the last two years, he has worked with special needs children and teens at the Opelika Sportsplex and helped them prepare for Special Olympics. Bonson also participated in the Beat Bama Food Drive in 2020 and 2021, helping collect food to benefit the Food Bank of East Alabama.
Last year, he helped in collecting money and supplies to support the relief efforts of Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 storm that ripped through his home state.
It's the first time for Leehy and Bonson to be named to the SEC Community Service Team. Emily Hetzer and Davis Edwards were Auburn's representatives on last year's team.
Leehy, Bonson and the rest of the Auburn S&D team are competing in the SEC Championships this week from Knoxville, Tennessee.