Kansas adds newest Jayhawk to its roster

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas volleyball announced its newest recruit on Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 11). Eleven-year-old Shea Carnahan from Riverside, Missouri has been named to the roster through the Team IMPACT “Draft Day” ceremony.

"“It is a really cool day for Kansas volleyball when we can add someone to our program that has the courage and the ability to be such a great sister and is a big Jayhawk fan already. Shea is going to be a great addition and will be a great role model for our players because of the way she goes out and battles each and every day. I know she looks forward to each challenge and creates a great example for everybody around her. We looked far and wide all over the country to find what we believed to be the best fit for our program and we undoubtedly made a great decision. We are excited that she is going to be our Team IMPACT addition for Kansas volleyball.”"

Head coach Ray Bechard

As the newest member to the Jayhawks squad, Shea will be attending KU practices, games, team dinners, events and more.

"“Shea has been through a lot in her young life. When she was 18-months old they told us she probably wouldn’t live, to when they told us she probably wouldn’t walk or talk, to when they told us that she was going to have severe epilepsy that was going to cause complete regression, and to when they removed her right temporal lobe.” "

Shea's mother

Team IMPACT is a national nonprofit that connects children facing serious or chronic illnesses with college athletic teams in order to form lifelong bonds and life-changing outcomes. They have more than 1,200 teams waiting to be matched with children, ages 5-16, who could benefit from becoming a member of the team. If you know a child who may be interested, visit www.goteamimpact.org for more information.