Framingham, Mass.- The Framingham State softball program signed 13 year old Lindsey Franco from Holliston, Mass. in partnership with Team IMPACT Friday afternoon on the FSU campus. Franco signed a letter of intent to join the Rams softball program and plans on joining the team during games, practices and other team events throughout the year.

Joining Lindsey were her parents, brother, Rams Head Coach Larry Miller, team advocates Eleanor Callery, Kirsten Dick, Lauren Salisbury, Mycala Moody and the rest of 2018 softball team.

The Rams presented Lindsey with FSU apparel, a Rams bobble head, as well as a signed ball from the 2018 team to welcome her to the program. "We are so thrilled to welcome Lindsey to our FRAMily" said Miller. "Thank you to Team IMPACT and our institutional and athletic administration for their support. I am so fortunate to be surrounded with an incredible group of student-athletes and know they will be great teammates to Lindsey."

"This is a great opportunity for our program to make a difference. It is more than just softball, it is a way for us to express our values and for our team to be great role models" said Rams senior captain Megan Downing. She continued "We can really continue to push our program in a positive direction and we are so excited to have Lindsey join our FRAMily."

Team IMPACT is a national nonprofit headquartered in Boston, MA that connects children facing serious or chronic illnesses with college athletic teams, forming life-long bonds and life-changing outcomes. Since 2011, Team IMPACT has matched more than 1,400 children with more than 500 colleges and universities in 47 states, reaching over 50,000 participating student-athletes. The child joins the athletic team and the student-athletes join the child's support team. Throughout the journey, the child gains strength, camaraderie and support while the student-athletes experience lessons of courage, resiliency and perspective they can't learn in a classroom.

Release courtesy of Framingham State Sports Information