University Of Utah To Honor Late Track Star
Oct 24, 2018, 3:24 PM | Updated: Oct 25, 2018, 2:51 pm
(Image courtesy giving.utah.edu)
(Image courtesy giving.utah.edu)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The University of Utah athletics department has announced plans to honor track and field star Lauren McCluskey, who passed away in on-campus shooting incident.
McCluskey was found shot to death in the backseat of a vehicle Monday night. Campus was placed on lockdown while police searched for the suspect, 37-year-old Melvin Rowland. He was later found dead from what investigators believed was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
University Releases Logos, Plans To Honor McCluskey
Two logos have been designed to honor her memory – a winged foot logo bearing the name “Lauren,” and a heart with the initials “LM.” Each logo will be used at various athletic events.
We will also be handing out these stickers to our fans before our match tonight! https://t.co/go7k3vdqsA
— Utah Volleyball (@UtahVolleyball) October 24, 2018
Our uniform for this weekends Pac-12 championship meet. You are missed immensely, Lauren. This one’s for you. #utefamily #utestrong pic.twitter.com/RagEw5Fnz8
— Utah T&F/XC (@Utah_trackfield) October 24, 2018
Athletes from the track and field and cross country teams planned to wear black ribbons at a candlelight vigil Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the steps of the Park building on University Circle.
At the Utes’ volleyball match later that evening, at 7 p.m., the university has planned a moment of silence. The Utes and the visiting Washington State players from McCluskey’s hometown of Pullman, Washington, will link arms in an act of solidarity.
The Utah women’s soccer team will wear the heart logo on their wristbands for Thursday’s game against UCLA, which begins at 7 p.m.
Stickers with the winged foot logo were also going to be handed out to fans at the volleyball and soccer games.
The cross country team was expected to wear black uniforms with a patch of the heart logo at the Pac-12 champions at Stanford on Friday.
Also on Friday, the Utah football team will wear the winged foot logo on their helmets for the game at UCLA. The Bruins athletics department announced they would also hold a moment of silence for McCluskey at the Rose Bowl.
A memorial fund has been established by the University of Utah at the request of the McCluskey family, that will help fund future scholarships for track and field student athletes. Information about the fund can be found at giving.utah.edu.
A fund has been established to honor the memory of Lauren McCluskey.
Lauren’s family has asked that these funds support future scholarships for student-athletes in track and field. https://t.co/z0tPBvgzEK pic.twitter.com/w0Lbi89ZGY
— University of Utah (@UUtah) October 24, 2018
Additional plans have been discussed, according to a press released put out by the Utah athletics department. Those plans were expected to be announced at a later date.
