KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Junior forward Jaylen Carey is the University of Tennessee representative on the SEC Community Service Team for men’s basketball, as announced Thursday morning.
This is the 28th year for the SEC Community Service Team for both men’s and women’s basketball. All but two—rowing is in its second year as an SEC sport—of the league’s 22 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.
In his first year at Tennessee, Carey has already made an impact on the local community in multiple ways.
During the holiday season, Carey hosted a shopping spree for children in Knoxville at Dick’s House of Sport. Each of the 23 kids in attendance, all from the Emerald Youth Foundation, received $300 in goods. Carey also had multiple teammates accompany him to the store to enhance the experience for the children.
Additionally, Carey participated in the annual Hoops for Hope event at Farragut High School in advance of the 2025-26 season. He and his teammates helped run a basketball clinic—it featured games, stations, autographs and more—for individuals in the area with Down syndrome, in conjunction with the Down Syndrome Awareness Group of East Tennessee.
The 6-foot-8, 267-pounder from Southwest Ranches, Fla., was actively involved with the participants throughout the afternoon, working to help maximize their experiences.
Carey and No. 23/25 Tennessee (21-9, 11-6 SEC) conclude the regular season Saturday at 2 p.m. against No. 24/22 Vanderbilt, live on ESPN from Food City Center.
To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.
2025-26 SEC MEN’S BASKETBALL COMMUNITY SERVICE TEAM
Houston Mallette, Alabama
Amere Brown, Arkansas
Emeka Opurum, Auburn
Rueben Chinyelu, Florida
Marcus Millender, Georgia
Malachi Moreno, Kentucky
Jalen Reed, LSU
Zach Day, Ole Miss
Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State
Trent Pierce, Missouri
Tae Davis, Oklahoma
Myles Stute, South Carolina
Jaylen Carey, Tennessee
Chendall Weaver, Texas
Mackenzie Mgbako, Texas A&M
Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
