ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri S&T's baseball team has announced the addition of a new member of the team, signing eight-year-old Lucas Daniels through Team IMPACT, a national non-profit organization that has developed a program that matches children facing serious illnesses and disabilities with college athletic teams across the country.

Lucas was diagnosed with a gastrointestinal disorder at the age of five, which has led to blurry vision in one eye and seizures, which are kept under control and stabilized through medication.

"Lucas is an incredible young man.  He bring energy and enthusiasm to everything he does," said Miner head coach Todd DeGraffenreid. "He works just as hard as our players every day he is at practice and keeps the energy in the dugout up by playing music! We are looking forward to having Lucas apart of our program."

Lucas loves baseball and has played on a tee-ball team.  He attends school in Rolla and loves his classmates and peers, but the hospital and medical matters are all he knows.

ABOUT TEAM IMPACT: Team IMPACT's unique multiyear program signs children facing serious illness and disability onto college athletic teams across the country. Based on a clinical model, Team IMPACT guides a symbiotic relationship between teams and children focused on socialization, empowerment, and resilience, ensuring everyone involved has the personalized game plan they need to win, effectively building confidence and independence. Established in 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 3,000 children with 750+ colleges and universities in all 50 states, impacting more than 75,000 student-athletes. If you know a child or team who may be interested, please visit www.teamimpact.org.