Alabama Junior Shea Mahoney Named to SEC Gymnastics Community Service Team
3/26/2019 3:50:00 PM | Gymnastics
The Algonquin, Ill., native is very active in the Tuscaloosa community, including volunteering extensively at the Manderson Cancer Center at DCH
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama's Shea Mahoney was named to the Southeastern Conference Gymnastics Community service team the league office announced Tuesday.
The junior is one of eight student-athletes across the SEC to earn a place on the team. One of the nation's top gymnasts, whose exuberant performances brings Crimson Tide fans to their feet week-in and week-out during the season, Mahoney uses her penchant for joy to make a difference outside the gym as well.
For the past year, she has volunteered on a weekly basis at the Manderson Cancer Center in Tuscaloosa, helping support the men and women who utilize the facility during their fight against cancer. She is also active in the Crimson Tide's Power of Pink initiative, helping raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer.
Her decision to start giving of her scant free time to help out at the Cancer Center came after the team made a visit to the facility, part of the DCH Health System, which located adjacent to campus.
"I feel that I'm called to just share my heart and share my words with people in any way I can," Mahoney said. "I just felt so called that day to be involved with that place and be involved with the patients and the people in any way I possibly could."
She has also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, ReadBAMARead, Smile-A-Mile as well as Alabama Athletics' Halloween Extravaganza and Thank-A-Thon.
"Shea is the epitome of someone that just finds more joy in helping others find their joy than she does in finding her own," UA head coach Dana Duckworth said.
A two-year Scholastic All-American and member of the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll, Mahoney has been a standout for the Crimson Tide, especially on the uneven bars where she has posted a career-best 9.975.
The junior helped lead Alabama to the 2018 NCAA Regional Championship as well as back-to-back NCAA Championship appearances in 2017 and 2018 and the NCAA Super Six Team Final in 2017.
Through the 2019 regular season, Mahoney has already posted a career-best 9.95 on the floor exercise, a 9.875 on the vault and a season-best 9.950 on the uneven bars.
Mahoney and her teammates are off from competition this week before traveling to the Ann Arbor Regional on the campus of the University of Michigan for the first three rounds of the NCAA Championships, April 4-6.
For all the latest information on Alabama gymnastics, follow BamaGymnastics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and head coach Dana Duckworth on Twitter and Instagram at @UACoachDana.
Players Mentioned
