Sanchez named to SEC community service team

Redshirt freshman forward Michael Sanchez has been named to the Southeastern Conference’s Community Service Team for 2009.

The 6-8 native of Springdale is a member of Arkansas’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He has participated in several projects, including the Adopt a Street program in which the SAAC committee has taken part in the City of Fayetteville’s “Curb Clutter” initiative by keeping a street clean. He is also involved with the Razorback Adopt a Child program in which the group collected donations to purchase Christmas gift cards to Toys R Us for several area elementary children.

In addition to his SAAC efforts, he has participated in the Boy Scouts of America Popcorn Drive where he and other student-athletes met with more than 300 scouts, signed autographs, posed for pictures and gave a tour of some of Arkansas’ athletic facilities.

He has started all 19 games for the Razorbacks this season and is averaging 6.3 points and 5.1 rebounds. He has highs of 14 points, 12 rebounds and four assists.

Sanchez redshirted last year on Arkansas’ 23-12 team, which reached the finals of the SEC Tournament and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

He earned state Class 7-A all-state honors as a senior at Har-Ber High School after helping his team go 24-6 with averages of 15.8 points and 13.8 rebounds.