BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – The recipients of the 2024-25 Ohio Valley Conference Community Service Awards have been announced. University of Southern Indiana was represented by men’s swimming and diving sophomore Nathan Deputy and women’s basketball senior Vanessa Shafford.
The awards, first bestowed in 2022-23, are based on activities that took place during the 2024-25 academic year and recognize outstanding student-athletes for the contributions they make away from the playing surface, both on campus and in the community.
OVC member institutions who competed in the League during the 2024-25 academic year were able to select a maximum of one male and one female student-athlete from their institution to be honored. In total, 18 individuals were honored with the awards this year.
“The OVC has always been about a sense of community,” said OVC Commissioner Beth DeBauche. “We are delighted to continue to bestow these awards to these outstanding student-athletes who are giving back to their communities.”
Over her four seasons at USI, Shafford has shared her time in seven different organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, Feed Evansville, the Challenger League, More than Pink Walk, HEAD Start, S.M.I.L.E. Mile, and Young & Established. Deputy volunteered to help with activities involving Habitat for Humanity, the Special Olympics Polar Plunge.
The 2024-25 recipients are:
• Vanessa Shafford (basketball), Southern Indiana
• Nathan Deputy (swimming & diving), Southern Indiana
• Joel Allen (cross country/track & field), Little Rock
• Hayden Bell (rifle), Morehead State
• Sam Cruz (cross country/track & field), Eastern Illinois
• Taylor Ellis (tennis), Tennessee State
• Mary Fetter (soccer), SIUE
• Liz Galvin (soccer), Eastern Illinois
• Reghan Grimes (basketball), Tennessee Tech
• Myah Hough (beach volleyball), Lindenwood
• Kolby Jones (track & field), Tennessee State
• David Kamwanga (basketball), UT Martin
• Haden Maxwell (golf), Tennessee Tech
• Jack Meyer (baseball), Lindenwood
• Katja Mueller (golf), Little Rock
• Kayla Turner (soccer), Western Illinois
• Elena Veerdecchia (beach volleyball), Morehead State
• Rileigh Weiss (equestrian), UT Martin
