March 31, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF's LaKendra Thames (Winter Garden, Fla.) will receive the winter Conference USA Spirit of Service Award, league commissioner Britton Banowsky announced Wednesday. Thames, a senior member of the UCF track and field program, is one of 12 award recipients from C-USA's institutions.
The C-USA Spirit of Service Award is designed to recognize the community service efforts of the league's student-athletes, based upon significant community service, good academic standing and participation in their elected sport. The Spirit of Service award will be presented three times throughout the season, with Wednesday's honorees representing Conference USA's winter sports: basketball, indoor track and field and swimming and diving.
Over the course of her UCF career, Thames has been successful as a student, an athlete and active in the community. As a thrower on the track and field team, Thames currently holds three school records (indoor and outdoor shot put, indoor weight throw). During this past indoor season, she broke the school record in the weight throw at the C-USA Championships.
In the classroom, Thames is a three-time Dean's List honoree and a member of the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll. Thames currently sports a 3.443 grade point average while working towards a degree in health sciences.
Thames has also been a star in the community, participating in a wide range of service events. Thames has participated in the Florida Hospital Adopt a Teammate, the Central Florida Miracle League, National Girls and Women in Sports Day and the Robinswood Boys and Girls Club After School Program. She was also a teacher for a day and served as a pen pal for a seventh-grader for 2009-10 at Jackson Heights Middle School.
The Knights and Thames will continue their outdoor season this weekend when they compete in the Florida Relays on Friday and Saturday in Gainesville.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.