June 4, 2020
Tebow, Markel named SEC Brad Davis Award winners

By: SEC Staff
SECU (Twitter: @TheSECU)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (June 4, 2020) – Texas A&M University equestrian rider Ann Elizabeth Tebow and Vanderbilt University football player Cody Markel have been named the 2019-20 Brad Davis Southeastern Conference Community Service Leaders of the Year, Commissioner Greg Sankey announced Thursday.
Tebow and Markel were chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from SEC universities. Each will receive a $10,000 post-graduate scholarship, provided by the SEC.
“Ann Elizabeth and Cody epitomize the complete SEC student-athlete experience by making the world a better place with their dedication to their communities and the classroom,” said Sankey. “They are a direct reflection of the well-rounded college experience across the SEC. I congratulate them, their families and the universities they represent on this prestigious recognition.”
The SEC Community Service Post-Graduate Scholarship is named for former Associate Commissioner Brad Davis. Davis succumbed to cancer on March 2, 2006. He had been a member of the SEC staff since 1988, first serving as an assistant commissioner until 1994 when he was promoted to associate commissioner.
In addition, the recipients of the Brad Davis SEC Community Service Award from the other Conference schools will receive a $5,000 scholarship, provided by the SEC.
Ann Elizabeth Tebow, Equestrian, Texas A&M
Major: Biomedical Sciences
- Bryan Animal Shelter where she walks and plays with dogs, assists in cleaning cages and helps with feeding and laundry.
- College Station Medical Center and takes a cart around to provide snacks, drinks, toiletries and toys donated by the community.
- Weeklong mobile clinic trip to Lima, Peru where she assisted in the medical treatment of community members, including teaching children how to brush their teeth, working as an assistant for dental work, helping in OB-GYN examinations and assisting in examinations with general physicals and has spent time assembling low cost prosthetic hands to be sent to third world countries to help people with disabilities.
- Helped plan and execute the largest student-athlete run food drive in the nation, the Aggies CAN Food Drive, organizing all the athlete volunteers, working at different athletic events and setting up transport for the donations.
- Worked with Texas A&M University BUILD where she painted shipping containers that are in the process of being turned into mobile medical clinics to be sent to third world countries to help address medical needs.
- Group coordinator and volunteer for Ronald McDonald House Charities
- Helped fill bags of food and snacks at the Brazos Valley Food Bank.
- Volunteered with the American Quarter Horse Youth Association by mentoring and judging applicants to serve as part of their national leadership team. With over 22,000 members, she served as the national president and international committee chair in high school.
Cody Markel, Football, Vanderbilt
Majors: Political Science and Medicine, Health and Society
- Founded Turner’s Heroes non-profit organization prior to season to honor classmate and fellow tight end Turner Cockrell
- Turner’s Heroes aims to uplift pediatric cancer patients. Working in conjunction with Cockrell’s parents, the organization reproduces superhero capes designed by pediatric patients, then brings them and their families together with Vanderbilt student-athletes for a day of fun and superhero-themed activities
- 82-hour fundraiser for Turner’s Heroes held in conjunction with Vanderbilt-LSU game raised $70,000 for pediatric cancer research grants
- 2020 Vanderbilt Athletics Jim Robins Award recipient
- 2020 Vanderbilt Athletics Community Service Award recipient
- 2019 NFF-College Football Hall of Fame William Campbell Trophy nominee
- 2019 Bickerstaff-Pace Award recipient (NFF Middle Tennessee chapter award)
- 2019 Allstate AFCA FBS Good Works Team nominee
- 2019 Senior CLASS Award nominee
- 2019 finalist for Vanderbilt Outstanding Senior Award
- Vanderbilt’s 2019 SEC Community Service Team representative
- SEC Academic Honor Roll
- Dean’s List
The additional female recipients are: Makena Clark, Rowing, Alabama; Stefani Doyle, Soccer, Arkansas; Haley Pembroke, Equestrian, Auburn; Alyssa Howell, Soccer, Florida; Jordon Stout, Swimming & Diving, Georgia; Autumn Humes, Softball, Kentucky; Alexandria Ham, Swimming & Diving, LSU; Tereza Janatova, Tennis, Ole Miss; Athena Yang, Golf, Mississippi State; Riley Sents, Volleyball, Missouri; Jordan Scott, Equestrian, South Carolina; Alyssa Andreno, Volleyball, Tennessee; Emily Mathewson, Lacrosse, Vanderbilt
The additional male recipients are: Kyle Cameron, Baseball, Alabama; TJ Smith, Football, Arkansas; Ryan Lee, Cross Country/Track, Auburn; Chandler Bray, Swimming & Diving, Florida; Walker Higgins, Swimming & Diving, Georgia; TJ Collett, Baseball, Kentucky; Nicholas Finley, Swimming & Diving, LSU; Tim Sandkaulen, Tennis, Ole Miss; Kody Schexnayder, Football, Mississippi State; Jacob Bohlken, Wrestling, Missouri; Kobe Smith, Football, South Carolina; Nathaniel Murray, Swimming & Diving, Tennessee; Jake Gibbons, Swimming& Diving, Texas A&M
The SEC Community Service Post-Graduate Scholarship was first presented in 1996. Past Leaders of the Year include:
1996 – Tony Johnson, Alabama (football) and Erin Tenbrunsel, Alabama (volleyball)
1997 – Tim Lanier, LSU (baseball) and Andrea Bullock, Vanderbilt (golf)
1998 – Walker Jones, Ole Miss (football) and Nicole Lees, Alabama (soccer)
1999 – BJ McKie, South Carolina (basketball) and Carrie Kuhnell, Kentucky (soccer)
2000 – Brett Millican, Georgia (football) and Brooke Riley, Ole Miss (soccer)
2001 – Lance Jones, Ole Miss (baseball) and Gabby Fuchs, Florida (gymnastics)
2002 – Eric vanGoethem, Auburn (swimming) and Andree’ Pickens, Alabama (gymnastics)
2003 – Brett Kirouac, Georgia (football) and Kara Lawson, Tennessee (basketball)
2004 – Michael Boynton, South Carolina (basketball) and Virginia Pate, Georgia (swimming & diving)
2005 – Jordan Fairclotch, LSU (baseball) and Holly Hodges, South Carolina (diving)
2006 – Antoine Huffman, Kentucky (football) and Hannah McLeod, Arkansas (gymnastics)
2007 – Brad Boswell, Tennessee (swimming) and Stacey Stevens, Florida (softball)
2008 – William Brown, South Carolina (football) and Brooke Shinaberry, Vanderbilt (lacrosse)
2009 – Andrew Smith, Auburn (basketball) and Brionna Dickerson, South Carolina (basketball)
2010 – John Egan, Georgia (track and field) and Krissy Voss, Auburn (gymnastics)
2011 – Barnabus Kirui, Ole Miss (track and field) and Bridget Lyons, Georgia (track and field)
2012 – Cullen Doody, LSU (track and field) and Leigh Gilmore, Alabama (track and field)
2013 – Joseph Hladik, Missouri (swimming & diving) and Megan Moir, Kentucky (golf)
2014 – Patric Young, Florida (basketball) and Mackenie McGill, Missouri (gymnastics)
2015 – Chris Conley, Georgia (football) and Grace Trimble, Kentucky (tennis)
2016 – Wade Karam, Texas A&M (track) and Lauren Beers, Alabama (gymnastics)
2017 – Eric Freeman, Tennessee (baseball) and Maya Evans, South Carolina (track & field)
2018 – Wesley Curles, Auburn (track & field) and Grace McLaughlin, Florida (gymnastics)
2019 – Sam Ahrenholz, Florida (track & field) and Megan Rauh, Auburn (equestrian)
