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Chris Mack to sign 12-year old Trey Couch to Letter of Intent

Chris Mack

Xavier head coach Chris Mack on the sidelines against Pacific during the second half of their NCAA college basketball game in the first round of the DirecTV Classic in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)

AP

Normally, I’m thoroughly against the idea of recruiting athletes that are in the seventh grade, but I have to give credit to Chris Mack.

On Monday, the Xavier head coach signed 12 year old Trey Couch of Liberty Township to a National Letter of Intent.

Couch may be young and it may be against the strictest of NCAA rules, but it’s for a good cause. Couch has Cerebellar Degeneration, a neurodegenerative disease. He was diagnosed in 2010. The disease has no cure.

“This is a great opportunity for our team,” Mack said in a statement. “Sometimes we look at our everyday challenges and think we have it tough. We try to teach our student-athletes that there are a lot stiffer challenges that other people have to face.”

“I couldn’t be more excited to join my new teammates in the locker room and on the court,” said Trey.

Trey was teamed up with Xavier through Team IMPACT, a program that tries to improve the quality of life for kids facing life-threatening battles with disease. Trey will join Mack at a press conference at 4:30 p.m. on Monday to announce the signing.

Team IMPACT had a pair of brothers sign an NLI with Bradley earlier this month.

As a member of a Division I basketball program now, Trey is going to be a media magnet. The first thing Chris Mack ought to do is to get him into media training. When asked who his favorite team is, Trey, with a smile, answered “Kentucky”.

It’s gotta be Xavier now, little man.

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