Trey Lathan is back in the spotlight this weekend, and not just because Kansas is lining up across from West Virginia.
The former Mountaineers linebacker will face WVU for the second time since transferring to Kansas, but this trip carries a different feel. It’s his first return to Milan Puskar Stadium and Morgantown since leaving, and even after moving on, Lathan has kept one foot tied to the place he once called home.
Before the season, Lathan said on X that he would donate $50 for every tackle he makes this year to Miami Children’s Hospital and WVU Medicine Golisano Children's Hospital. He enters this week’s game leading the Jayhawks with 62 tackles, which puts his donations at $6,200 to Miami Children’s Hospital and $3,100 to WVU Children’s.
On Hawk Talk with Kansas voice Brian Hanni, Lathan explained where the idea came from.
“My grandmother. Just growing up, taking care of my family, she’s always giving back.
My parents told me we always had family members- extended family members staying with us if they didn’t have a place to go, making sure they had meals and stuff like that. But what truly inspired me to do that is my nephew suffered from a sickle cell crisis and disease.
Every time they FaceTime me at the hospital, the hospital is taking really good care of him, so I just want to pay it forward for them helping my family.”
That background makes the gesture fit who he is. During his time in Morgantown, Lathan and some of his teammates also visited the Children's Hospital to spend time with patients and try to brighten their day.
So yes, West Virginia fans will want their team to get back in the win column. But they can also appreciate what Lathan is doing while he’s on the other sideline - even if that means he’s making tackles against the Mountaineers.
West Virginia and Kansas are set for a 5:30 p.m. ET kickoff, with the game available live on ESPNU.
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