The NFL draft took a lot of headlines in late April, but there was another special Draft Day on DU’s campus. On April 29, the women’s basketball team welcomed their newest member to the Pioneer family. 

Soley Cobb, a 12-year-old girl from Aurora signed her letter of intent during the Draft Day celebration. 

Basketball is her favorite thing to do and her role model is pro basketball player Skylar Diggins. Diggins was a star player for Notre Dame’s basketball team and she competed in the NCAA Championships three times. She currently plays for the Tulsa Shock in the WNBA. 

Aside from basketball, Cobb loves to read, particularly “The Fault in Our Stars,” and listen to her favorite band, Panic! At the Disco. 

But Cobb is not your average 12-year-old athlete. She was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was only one month old. 

Cystic fibrosis is a hereditary condition that causes the production of excess mucus in the lungs, which can block airways and cause respiratory infections. 

Cobb’s has had a brief reprieve from her illness; she has not been hospitalized for two years, and she is doing much better than in the past.

Cobb is a part of Team IMPACT, which works to connect children with life-threatening illnesses to college athletics. So far, have connected 657 kids to 295 schools in 42 states. 

In February, Team IMPACT connected Cobb to DU. Team IMPACT was founded in 2011 by a group of former student-athletes. The foundation is now based out of Boston. 

After signing her letter of intent, Cobb spent some time with the team. A personalized locker was given to her in the women’s locker room, as well. 

Cobb will bond with the team by attending social events and practices from now until graduation in June. This opportunity will undoubtedly benefit Cobb, but it also brings motivation and hope to DU’s student athletes. 

Team IMPACT has also matched children to DU men’s golf, men’s soccer, men’s hockey and men’s lacrosse. More information can be found on their website at goteamimpact.org.