UT Southern honors scholarship promise after TN volleyball player loses legs in accident
PULASKI, Tenn. (WZTV) — Although her life will look different, her place on the team will stay the same.
FOX 17 News has learned Janae Edmondson verbally committed to UT Southern last week and will keep the scholarship she was offered.
Tristyn Lozano, the assistant Women's Volleyball Coach at UT Southern says two years ago she coached at the club level Janae has been playing at. That's when Lozano caught her first glimpse of Janae, who she described as a spunky kid that gives 100% to everything.
She is the person Lozano kept in the back of her head for two years.
Knowing the 17-year-old volleyball player would soon graduate high school, Coach Lozano reached out to express her interest last month.
Lozano adds, “as of last week she sent me a text that she wanted to accept my offer and wanted to continue playing at the college level here and I was thrilled and super pumped.
Coach Lozano says Janae came out for a campus tour on Feb. 2, where she met and played with the team. This is where she’d spend the next four years of her life. Coach Lozano adds, “she was here two and a half weeks ago playing and giving it her all. And it was hard to know something was taken from her that she put so much time and effort. For it to be taken away from her is just mind blowing.”
Coach Lozano says she was shocked when she heard about Janae's accident, leaving her at a loss for words. However, that doesn't mean her spot on the team looks any different, as Coach Lozano says the university will continue to honor Janae's place in the program, along with her scholarship. She adds, “just because this happened doesn’t mean we’re just going to push her aside. She made this commitment and we’re also going to honor that commitment."
Lozano acknowledges the long road ahead for Janae, but like with any team–they'll have her back.
Coach Lozano says the girls on this volleyball team are an extremely tight knit group, and are so excited to welcome Janae with open arms–knowing she will be a great addition to the team.
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