Two WAC women's basketball players – Eilise O’Connor of Kansas City and Kacie Sowell of Seattle U – are among the 52 Division I nominees for the 2014 Allstate WBCA Good Works Team®. The award recognizes basketball student-athletes who have made significant contributions to the greater good of their communities through volunteerism and civic service.
In its second year, the team honors players at all levels of college basketball who represent the sport’s finest in the areas of leadership and charitable achievements amongst their peers. A voting panel will select the 10-member team comprised of five student-athletes from the NCAA Division I level and five student-athletes from NCAA Divisions II, III and the NAIA from the nominees. The final roster of award recipients will be unveiled in February.
O’Connor has volunteered at the Guadalupe Centers Inc., at Della Lamb Adult Education Center and with Operation Breakthrough. She also takes part in UMKC’s Pre-Dental Society, visits elementary schools to promote reading and has volunteered at Morning Glory Cafe Soup Kitchen.
Sowell is a four-year member of the Seattle U Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), serving as the SAAC Holiday Food Drive Chair in the fall of 2013. She also gave time to sorting and distributing food for the Northwest Harvest Food Service food drive in 2011. In 2012, she served as a volunteer in chore/companion services, serving a senior citizen sponsored by Catholic Community Services. She has served as the Committee Chair for the SAAC Holiday Toy Drive all four holiday seasons she has been in school at Seattle U. From 2010-13, she’s volunteered at the Rotary Boys & Girls Club, helping with All-Girls Gym events, as well as with tutoring and hanging out with kids. During the 2010-11 year, she helped with coaching as part of the Future Redhawk Program. With her team, the Redhawks spent time with and taught basketball skills to young schoolchildren at La Puebla de Heredia during the team’s foreign tour in Costa Rica in August 2013.