Different socks for different folks, good reasons

New Mexico State women's golfer Amelia McKee wears mismatched socks on purpose – for a purpose.
The junior is unmistakable on the golf course. Her exposed left leg contrasts her right leg, which always bears a knee-high and NMSU-branded sock.
"I started wearing the two different socks when I was 11 to show everyone, especially my cousin, that just because you're different doesn't mean you're not capable of what everyone else can do," McKee said.
Her special-needs cousin, Cora Jane, is one of McKee's biggest inspirations. Her experiences around children with developmental disorders, namely Down syndrome, have served as the motivation behind using her voice and platform to advocate for those who are differently abled.
"You learn how different they are, the way they see the world and the way that people see them," McKee said.
To Aggie head coach Danny Bowen, McKee's activism is an extension of her personality.
"It's been a huge part of her success on the golf side," Bowen said. "She plays her own game."
Bowen added McKee to the program ahead of the 2019-20 campaign, recruiting the then-sophomore who had transfered from Baylor. Her happy-go-lucky attitude and family-oriented personality was quickly embraced by her teammates.
"She set the tone as the quote unquote team mom last year," Bowen said. "She genuinely cares for everyone on the team, and that's tough to do coming in as a transfer.
"She was accepted from day one, and she in return accepted everyone and really cared for them on and off the golf course."

McKee's impact with the Aggies went further than just being a good teammate. The native of Spring, Texas, won two individual titles (Aggie Invitational and UTRGV Invitational) in her first season and was named the Western Athletic Conference Women's Golfer of the Week once during the shortened year.
Her play on the course helped the Aggies win three team titles (Ptarmigan Ram Classic, Aggie Invitational and UTRGV Invitational) and total six top-four team finishes. She dazzled in the classroom as well, claiming All-American Scholar honors from the Women's Golf Coaches Association.
Throughout her successes and emergence as one of the Aggies' leaders, McKee continues to don her signature look of mismatched socks. She has never lost sight of who and what she plays for.