Shoes and apparel for Autism Awareness night were provided by Under Armour.
The Towson men’s basketball team added a new hue to the traditional black and gold for Monday night’s game against the UNC Wilmington Seahawks. In conjunction with Autism Awareness Night, the team and coaching staff donned special royal blue and white shoes provided by Under Armour.
Organizations dedicated to supporting those with autism were on hand, including Itineris, Pathfinders, Autism Speaks and Kennedy Krieger, as well as, the Hussman Center for Adults with Autism, which is housed in the Towson University Institute for Well-Being.
The numbers are staggering. Studies show 1 in 55 boys are autistic. [Towson head coach Pat] Skerry’s 3-year-old son, Owen, was diagnosed with autism about a year and a half ago — and both Skerry and his wife wanted to do something to help. So they have begun “Autism Awareness Night,” which comes Monday night, when Towson hosts UNC Wilmington.
“I’m hoping it’s something that maybe other programs pick up on,” Skerry said. “Because I know there are other coaches in the industry that have children with autism.”
“For Owen, it’s more about his communication,” he added. “He’s a wiz with the iPad. He can do things that I can’t.”
Read the full CBS Sports story here
The Tigers won the game by a final score of 81-68, led by a junior Jerrelle Benimon, who scored 20 points and pulled in 12 rebounds. The victory moved the team to 12-12 on the season, marking the team’s best start since the 1995-96 season. Read more about the game here.
