BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Texas A&M's Stefania Hristov has been named to the 2014-15 SEC Women's Tennis Community Service Team, the Southeastern Conference announced today. It is the first appearance on the team by the junior from Iasi, Romania.
The Community Service Team recognizes the accomplishments of student-athletes beyond the field of competition, highlighting a student-athlete from each school who gives back to her community in superior service efforts.
All league-sponsored sports have had a Community Service Team since 2004, with at-large teams for men's and women's sports being chosen from 1999-2003.
The complete 2014-15 SEC Women's Tennis Community Service Team is as follows:
Natalia Maynetto • Alabama
Junior • Naples, Fla.
Volunteered with Habitat for Humanity as well as the athletic department's annual Halloween Extravaganza and Project Angel Tree events with fellow student-athletes. Assumed a leadership role with the Alabama women's tennis Kid's Day Clinics and the team's Power of Pink initiative to raise awareness for breast cancer research.
Flavia Araujo • Arkansas
Junior • Sao Paulo, Brazil
Participated in Lift Up America by loading people's cars with boxes of frozen protein provided by Tyson Foods Inc. Spoke to 1300 kids at Bud Walton Arena, as part of the Red Ribbon Rally, about staying away from drugs and alcohol. Participated in Sweat Hogs and Book Hogs, where she taught grades 1-4 from multiple elementary schools in Fayetteville about physical education and nutritional habits as well as the importance of reading and developing skills. Recruited customers of Harps to donate cans and goods to the Cooperative Emergency Outreach (CEO). Participated in the Buddy Walk, a fundraising awareness event for those who have Down syndrome to be included in our community - with Down Syndrome Connection of NWA. At the MLK Youth Event, she played sports with kids and teenagers to encourage physical activity and inspire them to fulfill their potential. Also interacted with veterans from the Veterans' Hospital and learned about their war stories as well as life achievements. After the tornado's destruction in Mayflower, helped with relief efforts by unpacking, sorting, and separating donations. Performed a guitar number at a variety show to raise money for YRCC community center as well as volunteered for many services including playing with kids and helping with office activities.
Jen Pfeifler • Auburn
Senior • Gulf Breeze, Fla.
Representative for women's tennis for Auburn's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Participated on Auburn University's Drugs and Banned Substances Committee. Volunteered with Auburn's End Child Hunger initiative, working with other student-athletes to pack backpacks for children in Lee County.
Brianna Morgan • Florida
Junior • Beverly Hills, Calif.
Has inspired younger teammates to volunteer and has invited them to volunteer with her at events such as Gator Tracks (donating pairs of shoes to local youth in Gainesville community); Goodwill Gators (community outreach program for student-athletes that provides various opportunities to give local children, teens and UF student-athletes the chance to interact and learn from one another through quality volunteer activities); Salvation Army (volunteers with local chapter); Climb for Cancer (brings together children undergoing cancer treatment with Gator student-athletes to engage in various sports activities and is organized through the Climb for Cancer Foundation).
Kirsten Lewis • Kentucky
Junior • Birmingham, Ala.
Went on a 10-day service trip to Ethiopia with a group of UK student-athletes. The group repainted schools, helped build houses and interacted with several communities. Also made blankets as part of the UK Blanket Project, passed United Way collection buckets at UK football games and served food to the homeless at the Hope Center. Has been a Salvation Army Bell Ringer, assisted at Breakfast with Santa and was a National Student-Athlete Day Craft Center event volunteer.
Skylar Kuykendall • LSU
Junior • Jasper, Ala.
Helped at the annual Halloween Boozar, which over 700 students from around the Baton Rouge area attend. One of many student-athletes that dressed up and helped paint faces and play games. Also helped at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service this January. Kuykendall along with some of her teammates helped clean and paint a local school.
Kelli Hine • Missouri
Junior • New Braunfels, Texas
Has read to children at Mill Creek Elementary, helped Caleb's Pitch - a nonprofit organization aimed to enhance children's lives with serious childhood illnesses and participated in Rally Club Buddy, a program between Mizzou Athletics and local Columbia, Mo. elementary schools. Has also volunteered with “Mizzou Moves” at Fairview Elementary School (promoting healthy lifestyles with students), the Grant Elementary Read-A-Thon, Central Missouri Food Bank and with hazardous waste pick-up with the City of Columbia. Was a Susan G. Komen Race participant and a Good Shepard Lutheran PE assistant.
Brigit Folland • South Carolina
Sophomore • Bristol, United Kingdom
Was an even volunteer at the Tunnels to Towers 5k as well as the Catawba Trail Elementary School fall festival. Helped with the Harvest Hope Food Drive and cleaned and organized a Ronald McDonald House for the holidays. Participated in a free tennis clinic given to members of Wildewood Club and was involved in a free tennis clinic hosted by Babcock Foundation.
Joanna Henderson • Tennessee
Senior • Aberdeen, Scotland
Works with the Emerald Youth Mentoring program. Has also been a CMOH Speaker, participated in the Lenoir City Let's Move Day and has spent time at Pond Gap Elementary School for “Read across America day.” Assisted at Tennessee's annual Volaween and helped at a Chancellor's Associate Breakfast for Professional Development.
Stefania Hristov • Texas A&M
Junior • Iasi, Romania
As a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), helped the organization with its annual Aggies CAN food drive, the largest student-athlete run canned food drive in the nation. Prior to a sporting event, collected canned food donations from fans and handed out coupons to anyone who contributed to the drive. Also helped at the annual Aggie Sports Day, volunteering as a ticket scanner prior to an A&M football game. In addition, volunteers at the Brazos Valley Food Bank, where she has helped sort and categorize items for distribution to families in need.
Courtney Colton • Vanderbilt
Junior • Davie, Fla.
Works and volunteers with teachers at local elementary school helping in day-to-day operations. Assisting in reading instruction. Designed a behavior intervention for students. Currently designing a behavior management plan for a class. Helps with math instruction. Volunteers for Eakin Elementary school helping out with their family fit nights.
Hristov and the No. 7 Aggies (15-4, 11-2 SEC), who finished in a three-way tie with Georgia and Vanderbilt for second place in the conference standings, head to Columbia, S.C., this week to compete in the 2015 SEC Women's tennis Tournament at the Carolina Tennis Center. Texas A&M is the No. 3 seed and opens tournament play Friday at 2 p.m. (ET) against the winner between No. 6 seed LSU and No. 11 seed Arkansas or No. 14 seed Missouri.
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M women's tennis. Aggie fans also can keep up to date with the A&M women's tennis team on Twitter by following @AggieWTEN or on Facebook at Facebook.com/AggieWomensTennis.