BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (May 16, 2023) – Auburn track athlete Sara Pacer and Alabama swimmer Derek Maas have been named the 2022-23 Brad Davis Southeastern Conference Community Service Leaders of the Year, Commissioner Greg Sankey announced Tuesday.
Pacer and Maas were chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from SEC universities. Each will receive a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship, provided by the SEC.
"Sara and Derek epitomize the complete SEC student-athlete experience by their commitment to their communities and their success in competition and in the classroom," said Sankey. "They are tremendous representatives of the many SEC student-athletes across our universities who have a positive impact on their communities. Congratulations to Sara and Derek, their families and the universities they represent."
The SEC Community Service Post-Graduate Scholarship is named for former Associate Commissioner Brad Davis. Davis succumbed to cancer on March 2, 2006. He had been a member of the SEC staff since 1988, first serving as an assistant commissioner until 1994 when he was promoted to associate commissioner.
In addition, the recipients of the Brad Davis SEC Community Service Award from the other Conference schools will receive a $5,000 scholarship, provided by the SEC.
SARA PACER, AUBURN
Cross Country/Track and Field
Major: Biomedical Sciences
Community Service:
· SEC Brad Davis Community Service Award nominee, 2023
· Four-year mentor/tutor at Esperanza House, assisting low-income Hispanic students
· Volunteered for a year as a medical assistant at Mercy Medical Ministry & Clinic in Auburn
· Volunteered as a medical assistant at an underserved clinic in Guatemala
· Counselor for The Oaks, a private Pre-K through 12th grade school in the Auburn-Opelika area
· Missional Community Leader for two years at First Baptist of Opelika
Academic Honors:
· Auburn Female Scholar Athlete of the Year, 2022
· Auburn University Dean's List, eight semesters
· Auburn University Dean's Award for Academic Excellence, 2022
· College of Science and Mathematics Outstanding Sophomore, 2021
· College of Science and Mathematics Outstanding Freshman, 2020
· Phi Beta Kappa Society, 2022
· Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, 2021
· Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Health Professional National Honor Society, 2021
· Chi Alpha Sigma Student-Athlete National Honor Society, 2021
· SEC Academic Honor Roll, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Athletics Honors:
· 2021-2022 Athletic Directors Award
· Five-year letter winner Cross-Country/Track and Field
DEREK MAAS, ALABAMA
Swimming & Diving
Masters: Business Administration (will graduate in August, 2023)
Undergrad Major: Biology (May, 2022)
Community Service:
· English/Spanish Language Instructor – helped Spanish speaking citizens learn English as a second language
· Holland Hospital Volunteer – errand and escort volunteer
· Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics Volunteer Swim Coach – coaches young swimmers
· Maude Whatley Health Services Interpreter – translated medical information between a physician and a Spanish speaking patient
· Spanish Club – A member since 2019 and the president in 2022
· Student Athletic Advisory Chair
· SEC Men's Swimming and Diving Community Service Team, 2023
Academic Honors:
· Recipient of the 2023 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Division I Elite 90 Award
· SEC Men's Swimming and Diving Scholar Athlete of the Year, 2023
· Distinguished Undergraduate Scholar, 2022
· Three-time College Sports Communicators Academic All-American, 2021-23
· May 2022 Research Award: His research group's presentation titled "Microbiota Manipulation In Drosophila: A Model For Obesity-Like Phenotypes" won the Outstanding Research Poster Award at the 2022 Southeastern Universities Graduate Research Symposium
· Two-time CSCAA First Team Scholar All-American
· SEC Academic Honor Roll, 2019-2022
· Presidents List, Fall 2019-Fall 2022
Athletics Honors:
· First Team All-American – 100 breaststroke – and Second Team All-American – 200 breaststroke and 200 medley relay, 2023
· First Team All-American – 100 breaststroke, and as a member of the 200 medley relay, 2022
· Set the 2022 SEC Championships meet record in the 200 breaststroke
· SEC Champion in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, 2022
· All-American – 200 and 400 medley relay, 2021
· COSIDA first-team Academic All-American, 2021, 2022
· All-American – 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, 2020
· Holds the school record in the 200 individual medley, as well as the 100 breaststroke
The additional female recipients are: Sania Mitchell, Gymnastics, Alabama; Reilly Shaner, Swimming & Diving, Arkansas; Cheyenne Lindsey, Softball, Florida; Sage Powell, Volleyball, Georgia; Kaitlynn Wheeler, Swimming & Diving, Kentucky; Kai Rivers, Gymnastics, LSU; Ellen Hutchinson-Kay, Golf, Ole Miss; Grace
Fagan, Softball, Mississippi State; Amy Feddersen, Swimming & Diving, Missouri; Jordan Allen, Equestrian, South Carolina; Lucy Marret, Rowing, Tennessee; Haley Redifer, Equestrian, Texas A&M; Chantal Jordan, Swimming & Diving, Vanderbilt
The additional male recipients are: Wil Gibson, Golf, Arkansas; Oquendo Bernard, Track & Field, Auburn; Cavan Wilson, Cross Country, Florida; Matthew Boling, Track & Field, Georgia; Alex Degen, Baseball, Kentucky; Spencer Adrian, Swimming & Diving, LSU; Kenney Broadnax, Track & Field, Ole Miss; Trent Zelden, Track & Field, Mississippi State; Will Goodwin, Swimming & Diving, Missouri; Wesley Sweatt, Baseball, South Carolina; Nick McCann, Swimming & Diving, Tennessee; Patrick Johnson, Track & Field, Texas A&M; Justin Harris, Football, Vanderbilt
The SEC Community Service Post-Graduate Scholarship was first presented in 1996. Past Leaders of the Year include:
1996 - Tony Johnson, Alabama (football) and Erin Tenbrunsel, Alabama (volleyball)
1997 - Tim Lanier, LSU (baseball) and Andrea Bullock, Vanderbilt (golf)
1998 - Walker Jones, Ole Miss (football) and Nicole Lees, Alabama (soccer)
1999 - BJ McKie, South Carolina (basketball) and Carrie Kuhnell, Kentucky (soccer)
2000 - Brett Millican, Georgia (football) and Brooke Riley, Ole Miss (soccer)
2001 - Lance Jones, Ole Miss (basebal) and Gabby Fuchs, Florida (gymnastics)
2002 - Eric vanGoethem, Auburn (swimming) and Andree' Pickens, Alabama (gymnastics)
2003 - Brett Kirouac, Georgia (football) and Kara Lawson, Tennessee (basketball)
2004 – Michael Boynton, South Carolina (basketball) and Virginia Pate, Georgia (swimming & diving)
2005 – Jordan Fairclotch, LSU (baseball) and Holly Hodges, South Carolina (diving)
2006 – Antoine Huffman, Kentucky (football) and Hannah McLeod, Arkansas (gymnastics)
2007 – Brad Boswell, Tennessee (swimming) and Stacey Stevens, Florida (softball)
2008 – William Brown, South Carolina (football) and Brooke Shinaberry, Vanderbilt (lacrosse)
2009 – Andrew Smith, Auburn (basketball) and Brionna Dickerson, South Carolina (basketball)
2010 – John Egan, Georgia (track and field) and Krissy Voss, Auburn (gymnastics)
2011 – Barnabus Kirui, Ole Miss (track and field) and Bridget Lyons, Georgia (track and field)
2012 – Cullen Doody, LSU (track and field) and Leigh Gilmore, Alabama (track and field)
2013 – Joseph Hladik, Missouri (swimming & diving) and Megan Moir, Kentucky (golf)
2014 – Patric Young, Florida (basketball) and Mackenie McGill, Missouri (gymnastics)
2015 – Chris Conley, Georgia (football) and Grace Trimble, Kentucky (tennis)
2016 – Wade Karam, Texas A&M (track & field) and Lauren Beers, Alabama (gymnastics)
2017 – Eric Freeman, Tennessee (baseball) and Maya Evans, South Carolina (track & field)
2018 – Wesley Curles, Auburn (track & field) and Grace McLaughlin, Florida (gymnastics)
2019 – Sam Ahrenholz, Florida (track & field) and Megan Rauh, Auburn (equestrian)
2020 – Cody Markel, Vanderbilt (football) and Ann Elizabeth Tebow, Texas A&M (equestrian)
2021 – Mac Brown, Ole Miss (football) and Jessica Drop, Georgia (track & field)
2022 – David Olds, South Carolina (track & field) and Riley Gaines, Kentucky (swimming)
