In addition to aiming for personal bests in the upcoming indoor and outdoor track and field seasons, Arizona State's Denzell Feagin is excited to see his hard work come to fruition in another way: a house.
Feagin and more than 50other Arizona State student-athletes helped build a house on Nov. 15 and Nov. 29 through a partnership between Habitat for Humanity and the NCAA.
"I want to see the final project for sure. I think when it's all said and done, I'll drive by and say, 'Oh yeah, I built that house right there in the back,'" said Feagin, who's from Columbus, Ohio."It's always good to give back to the community that supports you. Even back home I did a lot of stuff with younger kids and community service, and it just made me feel a bit better. Knowing that you're able to help someone else that is less fortunate than you, it's always good for you."
The partnership between the NCAA and Habitat for Humanity stems from a$2.5 million commitment made by the Association in 2018. The Arizona State student-athletes took part in the fifth NCAA-sponsored build since the start of the 2022-23 academic year, following a pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Other recent builds took place in Indianapolis, where the NCAA is headquartered; Minneapolis, which hosted the 2022 Women's Final Four; New Orleans, which hosted the 2022 Men's Final Four; and Paradise, California, which suffered a devastating wildfire in 2018.The Arizona State build precedes the 2024 NCAA Convention in Phoenix, which more than 2,000 administrators and student-athletes are expected to attend.
The home will be one of several built by Habitat in a Tempe, Arizona, neighborhood about 15 minutes from the Arizona State campus. Student-athletes predominantly worked on framing the house, learning to use tools like nail guns, hammers and saws in the process.
"I learned how important it is to come out and help be a part of the community," said Katie Vahle, a lacrosse player for the Sun Devils. "Whether this is our hometown or not, we still are living here and playing here, and building these houses for all these people, they'll want to come back and support us, too."
As part of the build experience, two future Habitat homeowners spoke to the student-athletes about the impact their work will have. Among Habitat for Humanity's priorities is providing affordable and safe housing, as well as revitalizing neighborhoods through local partnerships.
"It's important because some families aren't able to buy other houses, so us being able to help them start to grow a family here is awesome," said Olivia Herrera, a goalkeeper for the Arizona State women's soccer team.
"I think it's a great cause. Doing it with my teammates was a lot of fun," Vahle said. "We had the time of our lives out here."