Stony Brook, N.Y. – Stony Brook head men's basketball coach Jeff Boals has announced the signing of eight-year-old Sean Hughes, in partnership with the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation.
 
Sean is a Port Jefferson, New York, native and avid basketball fan. The third-grader joined the Seawolves Wednesday, Sept. 14, in a press conference at Island Federal Credit Union Arena. The press conference was attended by Sean, his parents Pat and Melanie, brother Kyle, Denis Murphy of the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, and the Stony Brook men's basketball team, coaching staff and administration.
 

"We are very fortunate to be adding Sean to our men's basketball program here at Stony Brook through the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation," said Boals. "He's a special young man who's not only going to brighten our lives, but we're going to do the same for him."
 
Sean was diagnosed with advanced lymphoblastic lymphoma in December 2014 and is currently being treated at the NYU Medical Center. Sean joins the Seawolves through the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, an organization started by the Murphy family in 2005 for Jaclyn Murphy, who was partnered the previous year with the Northwestern women's lacrosse team while battling a malignant brain tumor.
 
The Wildcats went undefeated that year to win a national championship, and the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation has now partnered nearly 700 families battling brain tumors and other childhood cancers with teams and organizations around the country. Jaclyn Murphy graduated from Marist this spring.
 
Sean will join the Seawolves for games, practices and events throughout the season. The Stony Brook staff has added a locker for Sean in Island Federal Credit Union Arena, where he will get ready for the Seawolves 2016-17 opener, an exhibition against Farmingdale State, Friday, Nov. 4.