CULVER SIGNS BROWN TO LETTER OF INTENT
Jared Verner – Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
9/8/2014 9:23:00 PM
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – University of Colorado Colorado Springs Head Men’s Basketball Coach Jeff Culver announced the signing of 11-year-old Kavan Brown to a Letter of Intent during an on-campus signing ceremony this afternoon. Brown is immediately eligible to participate in all team activities.
“It’s a big day for our Mountain Lion men’s basketball program at UCCS,” Culver said during today’s signing ceremony. “We’ve been looking quite a bit for that extra piece of the puzzle to earn ourselves a championship, and we think we found him.”
Brown, a student at Sproul Junior High School in Colorado Springs, Colo., was joined by his parents Angela Bird and Toby Brown, and his 9-year-old sister Ana. He will participate as much as he is physically able to with Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome, a bone marrow deficiency disorder.
Brown was interviewed by members of the current men’s basketball team, and answered such questions regarding his favorite TV show, video game, movie and super hero.
Brown’s commitment to the UCCS Men’s Basketball team was made possible through a partnership with Team IMPACT, a non-profit organization that improves the quality of live for children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses. Children are signed to local athletic teams to become an official member of the team for the duration of their treatment and beyond.
Brown was diagnosed with Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome when he was 14 months old. The disorder causes bone marrow deficiencies, digestive issues and immune deficiencies. He has had more than 10 surgeries, has to do blood tests every three months, and sees 4-5 specialists every six months. Because of his immune deficiencies, a large part of his family’s effort is dedicated to preventative measures.
UCCS finished last season with program records in overall wins (21) and longest winning streak (10). The Mountain Lions marked the season with program milestones in the first home playoff game, first playoff win, first conference tournament championship game appearance and first appearance in the NCAA Division II National Tournament.
