Conference

Brooklyn, NY -- LIU Brooklyn head men's basketball coach Jack Perri has announced that Londell Francis will be joining the Blackbirds for the 2012-13 season. In conjunction with Team IMPACT, a non-profit chartered to improve the quality of life for children facing life-threatening illnesses, Francis will be an honorary member of the roster for the upcoming campaign.
 
“We are very excited to have Londell join our team,” Perri says. “He will be an integral part of our team moving forward and will be an inspiration to the players, the coaching staff and the campus community.”

Francis is an eight-year-old from Brooklyn, N.Y. who is thrilled to become the newest member of the Blackbirds.  When just two days old, Francis was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia, a blood disorder that causes red blood cells to form in a crescent shape. Francis needs multiple blood transfusions to make sure he has enough oxygen in his blood, and is typically admitted to intensive care 3-6 times a year for days at a time. 

A lover of all sports, Francis is unable to be a member of an organized team - until now.  He is thrilled to become an official team member and is excited to meet all of his new teammates!  His favorite number is 14, his favorite food is pizza, and he loves rap and R&B music.  When watching TV, he likes to watch 'Power Rangers' on the Cartoon Network but also enjoys watching action movies.  He is a big fan of WWE wrestling and also loves playing video games on his X-Box.  His favorite color is red and he recently just got a pet turtle that he named "Pickles".

Team IMPACT has a far-reaching athletic network comprised of athletic directors, senior woman administrators, sports information directors, coaches, captains, student-athletes, and on-campus ambassadors at several hundred colleges and universities across New England, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Team IMPACT envisions a future where the lives of children facing the hardships associated with adverse issues and events will have access to expanded team-based support networks in order to significantly enhance their quality of life and to fill their lives with more love and laughter. For more information, go to www.goteamimpact.org.