Ohio State University News Release -- www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com
Monday, May 2, 2011
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Now in its 10th year, the annual Connor Senn Memorial Match will undergo several changes in the coming years, beginning Tuesday when festivities kick off at 5:30 p.m. in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. In addition to a new opponent in the Dayton Dutch Lions of USL PRO, the event will now move forward in partnership with the Ohio State Medical Center to continue raising funds for the Connor Senn Memorial Fund.
"We are pleased to announce a new alliance between The Ohio State University Medical Center’s Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, The Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital, the Ohio State Department of Athletics, the Ohio State men’s soccer team, and the Connor Senn Memorial Fund to fight sudden cardiac death," said John Bluem, head coach of the Ohio State men’s soccer team and board member of the Connor Senn Memorial Fund.
"Next year, along with the 11th annual Connor Senn Memorial Match, we will together create the Connor Senn Educational Symposium on Sudden Cardiac Death in Athletes. Through this strategic partnership, we hope to provide community awareness for this condition and raise critical research funding to better understand and prevent sudden cardiac death in athletes."
All proceeds from the match and silent auction Tuesday will benefit the Connor Senn Memorial Fund at Ohio State. Over the last nine years, monies generated have funded a fully-endowed scholarship in Senn’s name, granted annually to a member of the men’s soccer team, and will now be directed towards the creation and implementation of the Connor Senn Educational Symposium on Sudden Cardiac Death in Athletes.
Dr. Lance Senn, Connor’s father, as well as Gene Smith, Ohio State Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics, and Bluem will present a check to Dr. Richard Gumina, Director of Interventional Cardiovascular Research in the Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute, at halftime of the game Tuesday with the monies raised since the scholarship reached the endowed status.
The Connor Senn Memorial Fund was established by Dr. Senn after Connor collapsed during Ohio State’s match at Akron Sept. 26, 2001, and died that night from a congenital heart defect. A native of Granville, Ohio, Connor was a freshman walk-on defender who had earned a starting position for the 2001 season. The Buckeyes went on to be selected for the NCAA Tournament that season for the second time in program history.
The legacy of Connor Senn will never be forgotten at Ohio State.
A plaque honoring Connor hangs outside the Buckeyes’ locker room door and Connor’s chair hangs in the locker room, which all the players on the 2001 team signed with personal messages to Connor, who was known for his tremendous work ethic, positive attitude and selfless play. "Play Like Connor Today" is the mantra of the Ohio State men’s soccer program and it has carried them to eight trips to the NCAA tournament since 2000 and to the 2007 national championship game.