AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn seniors Matthew Rueff and Alyssa Quinones-Mixon were named to the Southeastern Conference Service Team for men’s and women’s track and field and cross country, the league office announced Thursday.
This past year, Rueff served as the community service chair for the Auburn Athletics Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The Waterman, Illinois native helped manage several community service projects, including the Auburn Food Pantry drive, Operation Iron Ruck donation drive, Auburn Springs wreath campaign, and Spring basket donations. Rueff was responsible for helping collect money and donated items for the food pantry, which included 3,714 items during the month-long drive. Similarly, he spearheaded the collection of food and supply donations from student-athletes to give to Iron Ruck. As part of the Arbor Springs wreath campaign, Rueff and Auburn athletes worked closely with Adoorhim and handmade 100 Christmas wreaths that were donated to Arbor Springs Assisted Living home for the holidays. Like the wreath campaign, the Spring basket campaign provided Easter gift baskets for children at the Frankie B. King Headstart Center. Rueff also volunteered with the Miracle League, gathering student-athletes to sign up and give back to children’s Miracle League baseball games.
A native of San Antonio, Texas, Quinones-Mixon has been active in the local community both in her hometown and in the Auburn-Opelika area. Quinones-Mixon has volunteered in the summers at the Bulverde Area Humane Society at home in Texas while also serving a co-chair of the Community Engagement Subcommittee as part of SAAC at Auburn. During her time at Auburn, she has been involved in the Auburn Food Drive, Campus Food Pantry, Trick or Treat event at Auburn home volleyball games and hosted Macon County girls at home volleyball games. Like Rueff, Quinones-Mixon also assisted with the Arbor Springs wreath campaign during the holidays, Easter gift baskets for children at the Frankie B. King Headstart Center, and assisting with Iron Ruck food and supply donations for veterans in need during the last second of the annual Auburn-Alabama Iron Bowl Ruck.
The conference names a Community Service Team for each of its 22 league-sponsored sports, looking to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to his or her community through superior service efforts.