By Tyler Spanyer | UK Hoops beat writer

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For her work with low-income families, UK Hoops senior guard Kastine Evans is one of 84 national nominees for the Allstate Good Works Team.

The award, in its second year, was created to recognize a select group of women’s college basketball players who stand out for their extra work in the community, according to the Good Works Team press release.

Evans has long been committed to the community and has recently formed “Shooting at Success,” which is aimed at providing low-income children an outlet for after-school activities–.

“I came up with the idea of ‘Shooting at Success’ by realizing that basketball, or sports in any way, is a great tool to get through to young kids in my community,” Evans said.

“It’s very fun, but at the same time you can teach them discipline, you can teach them hard work, you can teach them different things that they will learn in the classroom but also on the basketball court.”

Evans has been an active participant in God’s Pantry BackPack program, which packs and delivers food to families in need during the year.

She also volunteers once a week, according to UK Athletics, to clean rooms and cook meals at the Ronald McDonald House, which is a place of residence for families of children receiving cancer treatment at UK Children’s Hospital.

The Good Works Team nominees were announced by women’s college basketball legend Tamika Catchings, who played at the University of Tennessee from 1997-2001. Catchings was a three-time All-American and Naismith National Player of the Year in the 1999-2000 season.

“Looking at the election process, 84 were named because of their outstanding character on and off the court,” Catchings said to the Kernel about the Good Works Team. “More importantly … their dedication to the things they’re doing off of the court and being a part of something bigger than the game of basketball, making an impact in so many people’s lives.”

Catchings also answered some questions regarding the state of college basketball and this year’s UK team.

“(The Cats have) been looking good,” Catchings said. “(Matthew Mitchell) was there, maybe as an assistant, when I was at Tennessee. It’s nice to see them do well.”

Whether it’s rule changes or a higher talent level, the game is a constantly changing machine, and Catchings has watched as the game she played almost 15 years ago keeps changing.

“Definitely going in the right direction, looking at what we’re doing here,” Catchings said.

“It’s just about emphasizing women, for female basketball players and female athletes. They’re able to leave a legacy, not from just being a solid basketball player or team or program. They’re solid on the court and off the court.”

Catchings was asked to choose who she thought was going to make the Final Four.

“That’s tough. That’s tough right now because it’s so early,” Catchings said. “Right now, teams that are having success may go through a low because they are being scouted better (or) other teams are playing better against you. Teams start ramping it back up in January and February to make that Final Four run.”