Nicola Willis Named to SEC Gymnastics Good Works Team
Tuesday, March 25, 2008 | Gymnastics
University of Florida senior Nicola Willis is the UF representative for the 2008 Southeastern Conference Gymnastics Good Works Team, the league announced Tuesday. The SEC has a Good Works Team for all 20 sports it sponsors. The gymnastics Good Works Team is made up of seven gymnasts, one from each competing institution. The Good Works Team highlights an athlete from each school who gives back to their community in superior service efforts.
This year, Willis has participated in Gator Tracks, a program that the student-athletes purchase and then deliver new shoes to children that need them. In the fall, Willis participated in the Climb for Cancer Sports Camp, a day that children with cancer participate in games and activities with the Gator student-athletes. At last October's Gainesville American Cancer Society's Fourth Annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, Willis and the rest of the Gator gymnastics team served as volunteers, handing out drinks and pink ribbons as the walkers finished the course. Willis was a counselor at last fall's Harvest Food Drive clinic, an event that collected more than 350 pounds of canned food for the Bread of the Mighty Food Bank Inc. She has also visited children at Shands Hospital last fall and this spring. Willis has participated in more than 50 hours of Goodwill Gator activities during her collegiate career.
| 2008 Southeastern Conference | |
| School | Name |
| Alabama | Ricki Lebegern |
| Arkansas | Emily Peacock |
| Auburn | A.J. Mills |
| Florida | Nicola Willis |
| Georgia | Katie Heenan |
| Kentucky | Crissy Cannon |
| LSU | Ashleigh Clare-Kearney |
As a senior, Willis has set four collegiate-best marks - all-around (39.40), vault (9.90), bars (9.95) and beam (9.875). She's appeared in every meet in 2008, winning three event titles.
Willis and the rest of the No. 3 Gator gymnastics squad will look to defend their team title at this Saturday's SEC Championships in Duluth, Ga. Meet time is set for 4 p.m. (ET) in the Gwinnett Center. The meet will air tape-delayed on SUN Sports Monday, April 7 at noon (ET).
