MORROW, Ga. – The Clayton State Department of Athletics placed fourth among all Division II institutions in the final NCAA Team Works Challenge powered by Helper Helper. The rankings reflect the number of community engagement hours each shool logged during the year. 
 
The fourth place matches the 2019-20 season result and the highest final ranking for Clayton State. The Lakers sat in the top four for the entirety of the fall and led for several weeks.
 
"We are extremely proud of the commitment our teams have made to serving their community," Director of Athletics Ryan Erlacher said. "Our entire department takes great pride in serving others and it has been wonderful to see our student-athletes making a major impact on and off campus. Engaging our community and helping others has become a major part of who we are as a program."

Helper Helper, an official partner of the NCAA, is a community engagement platform that coordinates and tracks community service hours.
 
On January 10, Clayton State was announced as one of 26 finalists for the NCAA DII Award of Excellence. The award recognizes initiatives in the past year that exemplify the Division II philosophy, community engagement and student-athlete leadership.
 
The Lakers were selected for their campus beautification initiative where student-athletes and staff walk the campus weekly to collect any garbage left on campus. Each team is responsible for a specific week, and the initiative has made a positive impact on the campus. 
 
Clayton State has also helped with Habitat for Humanity with several projects.
 
iTHINK Financial
iTHINK Financial proudly serves as the title sponsor for Clayton State Athletics' monthly community service project and, through that partnership, helps support the many endeavors to enhance the Laker student-athlete experience.
 
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