DALLAS, Texas – WKU Softball four-year letterwinner Kelsey McGuffin has been named 1 of 14 recipients of the Air Force Reserve C-USA Spring Spirit of Service Award, the league office announced on Wednesday.
The C-USA Spirit of Service Award is designed to recognize the community service efforts of the league's student-athletes, based upon significant public service, good academic standing and participation in their elected sport. The award is presented three times throughout the season, with Wednesday's honorees representing spring sports: baseball, women's rowing, men's & women's golf, softball, men's & women's outdoor track, and men's & women's tennis.
McGuffin is the second Hilltopper Softball student-athlete to earn the award after Kathryn Downing collected the honor in the spring of 2017.
A native of Elizabethtown, Ky., McGuffin's résumé is filled with academic, athletic and community service awards. Majoring in physical education with a concentration in teacher education and minors in health education and coaching, McGuffin is on track to graduate from The Hill in December 2019. She earned Conference USA Commissioner's Academic Medal recognition all four years as a student-athlete in addition to earning NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete and C-USA All-Academic Softball Team honors.
While she's made a significant impact for the WKU Softball program in her play and leadership on the field, McGuffin's biggest impact over the last four years has without a doubt been in the community. Some of the organizations McGuffin has worked with include the Southern Kentucky Special Olympics, Big Red Readers program, Read Across America, WKU Red Wave, WKU P.E. Majors Club, FCA, Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC); not to mention the numerous churches, pre-schools and elementary schools she spends her time within.
McGuffin's involvement with SAAC includes being the softball team's representative since the beginning of her sophomore year. Her connection within FCA runs deep – starting as just a member, McGuffin has climbed to the ranks of being a student leader and the Softball representative. Over the summers, she's volunteered at the camp as a leader in addition to a heavy involvement in the organization's annual Jesus Prom event. She's also been a speaker at numerous outings – taking advantage of her athletic and spiritual platforms to share her passions with others.
On the field, McGuffin appeared in 191 games during her career on The Hill, starting 164. She finished with 104 career hits including 26 doubles, one triple and 16 home runs along with 57 RBI. She posted a career .968 fielding percentage while slashing .245/.362/.424 and earned Conference USA's All-Tournament Team honors in 2017.
2019 Air Force Reserve Spring Spirit of Service Award Recipients
Austin Gallagher, Charlotte Men's Outdoor Track and Field
Kamila Umarova, FIU Women's Tennis
Anne-Catherine Wasser, Florida Atlantic Women's Outdoor Track and Field
Tyler Griggers, Louisiana Tech Men's Outdoor Track and Field
Abigail Tolbert, Marshall Softball
Tom Moonen, Middle Tennessee Men's Tennis
Rhylie Makawe, North Texas Softball
Holly Hutchinson, Old Dominion Women's Tennis
Fernanda Astete, Rice Women's Tennis
Valentina Haupt, Southern Miss Women's Golf
Nikolai Manchev, UAB Men's Tennis
Pamala Baber, UTEP Softball
Bailee Baldwin, UTSA Softball
Kelsey McGuffin, WKU Softball
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