Head Women's Tennis Coach Mickael Sopel will announce a special addition to the Penguins' roster on Saturday afternoon. Nine-year-old Isabella Hartman is set to join the program and will be introduced as the newest member of the squad prior to Saturday's dual match against Dayton at the Boardman Tennis Center.
The match with the Flyers is scheduled for 5 p.m. Hartman and the Penguins will be introduced just prior to the match.
Hartman, whose favorite animal is Penguins, joins the two-time defending Horizon League Champions through a partnership with Team IMPACT, a non-profit organization that aims to improve the quality of life for children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses. Core to their model is harnessing the power of teamwork by matching these courageous kids with college athletic teams. Team IMPACT children are drafted onto local college athletic teams and, to the greatest extent possible, become an official member of the team for the duration of their treatment and beyond.
"Our team is extremely proud to have Isabella be the newest member of our Penguin tennis family," Sopel said. "She will be a key part of our lineup throughout the spring campaign and we look forward to having her at our matches. We hope she enjoys the experience with us as much as we will having her be part of the team."
Hartman was diagnosed in 2014 with an immune disorder called Hypogammaglobulinanemia. She had a hole in her heart when she was born and was always getting sick and very prone to ear infections. She also has asthma, anxiety, and ADHD. Hartman has been through a lot but always maintains a very positive attitude. She misses school because she is often sick and that can be really tough. With all she battles through everyday, she truly epitomizes what it means to be a fighter and is sure to be an inspiration to her teammates. She will celebrate her 10th birthday on Jan. 29.
PENGUIN PROFILE
NAME: Isabella Hartman
AGE: 9
HOMETOWN: Youngstown, Ohio
FAVORITE NUMBER: One million
FAVORITE COLORS: Blue and Lime Green
FAVORITE ANIMAL: Penguins
FAVORITE MOVIE: Hunger Games
FAVORITE TV SHOW: Girl Meets World
FAVORITE FOODS: Spaghetti and meatballs, salad and chicken
PETS: Dogs (Casey and Livvy), Cat (Oreo), Turtle (Tina) and Hermit Crabs (Ocean, Sharkbait, Sherbert and Nemo)
ABOUT TEAM IMPACT:
Team IMPACT is national organization, based in Boston, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses through the power of team. Team IMPACT children are drafted on to college athletic teams, local to where they live and, in effect, become official members of the team from Draft Day through to Graduation. Established in 2011, Team IMPACT has already matched over 800 children with collegiate teams at over 300 institutions in 45 states, improving the quality of life of hundreds of courageous children and touching the lives of over 25,000 student athletes. For more information visit
http://www.goteamimpact.org/