University of Tennessee Athletics
Key Named To SEC Women’s Basketball Community Service Team
February 23, 2022 | Women's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- University of Tennessee junior Tamari Key has been named to the 2022 SEC Women's Basketball Community Service Team, receiving recognition for her commitment to helping others in the Knoxville area and abroad.
This marks the 24th year for the SEC Community Service Team for women's basketball as well as for men's basketball. All league-sponsored sports have had a Community Service Team since 2004, with at-large teams for men's and women's sports being chosen from 1999-2003. The SEC began this concept with a football Community Service Team in 1994.
Key, who hails from Cary, N.C., trained and traveled as part of the VOLeaders Academy summer immersion experience to Belize in 2021. She participated in community engagement around Belize City and spent three days working with the Hearts of Christ Children's Ministries in the village of Roaring Creek. While there, she took part in a day painting multiple school buildings and enjoyed two other days playing sports festival games with children at the facility and volunteering with the YMCA of Belize.
In her time away from the classroom and basketball, she also participated in the Adopt-A-Family program, joining with team members to purchase and deliver gifts at Christmas, volunteered at the Race for the Summitt 4-Miler in September, and shared her time sorting produce and serving neighbors in Knoxville at the FISH Food Pantry.
Other activities Tamari has taken part in include reading to children virtually with the Boys & Girls Club and as part of the Knox County School "Read to Lead" program, making sandwiches for lunches with the Salvation Army, and writing cards to those served by Knox Area Rescue Mission (KARM). She also has spent time assisting with the SAAC's annual Voloween and Community Holiday Meal initiatives.
Key, a 6-foot-6 center, is averaging 10.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game, leading the NCAA in blocks with a total of 99 that ranks as the second-best season in UT history. She stands behind only the 113 swats of Kelley Cain in 2009-10.
Key also is No. 2 on the school's career block list with 257, trailing only the 275 that Candace Parker registered from 2005-08. Additionally, she currently ranks No. 1 in both season (3.67) and career (3.10) block average and has registered seven entries on UT's single-game blocks top 10, including four this season. She holds the No. 2, 3 (three times), 6 and 9 (two times) spots on that list, with a career high of 11 vs. Texas A&M on Jan. 6.
A member of the 10-player Lisa Leslie Award Watch List and the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List, Key has registered nine double-doubles this season, including a triple-double vs. Texas that made her the only player in Lady Vol history with more than one. Her nine double-doubles tie her for 11th among all-time Lady Vol juniors.
Key and her teammates return to the court on Thursday at 6:30 p.m., as the No. 16/14 Lady Vols (21-6/10-4 SEC) play host to Mississippi State (15-11/6-8 SEC) at Thompson-Boling Arena. The game will be streamed on SECN+. Tickets are available at AllVols.com.
This marks the 24th year for the SEC Community Service Team for women's basketball as well as for men's basketball. All league-sponsored sports have had a Community Service Team since 2004, with at-large teams for men's and women's sports being chosen from 1999-2003. The SEC began this concept with a football Community Service Team in 1994.
Key, who hails from Cary, N.C., trained and traveled as part of the VOLeaders Academy summer immersion experience to Belize in 2021. She participated in community engagement around Belize City and spent three days working with the Hearts of Christ Children's Ministries in the village of Roaring Creek. While there, she took part in a day painting multiple school buildings and enjoyed two other days playing sports festival games with children at the facility and volunteering with the YMCA of Belize.
In her time away from the classroom and basketball, she also participated in the Adopt-A-Family program, joining with team members to purchase and deliver gifts at Christmas, volunteered at the Race for the Summitt 4-Miler in September, and shared her time sorting produce and serving neighbors in Knoxville at the FISH Food Pantry.
Other activities Tamari has taken part in include reading to children virtually with the Boys & Girls Club and as part of the Knox County School "Read to Lead" program, making sandwiches for lunches with the Salvation Army, and writing cards to those served by Knox Area Rescue Mission (KARM). She also has spent time assisting with the SAAC's annual Voloween and Community Holiday Meal initiatives.
Key, a 6-foot-6 center, is averaging 10.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game, leading the NCAA in blocks with a total of 99 that ranks as the second-best season in UT history. She stands behind only the 113 swats of Kelley Cain in 2009-10.
Key also is No. 2 on the school's career block list with 257, trailing only the 275 that Candace Parker registered from 2005-08. Additionally, she currently ranks No. 1 in both season (3.67) and career (3.10) block average and has registered seven entries on UT's single-game blocks top 10, including four this season. She holds the No. 2, 3 (three times), 6 and 9 (two times) spots on that list, with a career high of 11 vs. Texas A&M on Jan. 6.
A member of the 10-player Lisa Leslie Award Watch List and the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List, Key has registered nine double-doubles this season, including a triple-double vs. Texas that made her the only player in Lady Vol history with more than one. Her nine double-doubles tie her for 11th among all-time Lady Vol juniors.
Key and her teammates return to the court on Thursday at 6:30 p.m., as the No. 16/14 Lady Vols (21-6/10-4 SEC) play host to Mississippi State (15-11/6-8 SEC) at Thompson-Boling Arena. The game will be streamed on SECN+. Tickets are available at AllVols.com.
Players Mentioned
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