WHEELCHAIR ATHLETES SIGN LETTERS OF INTENT

THIS IS FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE
BY PAUL WALSH

Three Twin Cities standouts in high school adapted sports will soon sign college letters of intent.

The Courage Center of Golden Valley will host the signing Thursday evening at the rehab center's gym for the tri-captains of the center's national champion Junior Rolling Timberwolves wheelchair basketball team.

They are:

• Chuck Aoki, Minneapolis Southwest, will play wheelchair rugby at the University of Arizona. Aoki was named to the 2009 USA Wheelchair Rugby National Team. He also was named second team All-Tournament at the recent National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) tournament in Denver.

• Connor Downes, Rosemount, will play wheelchair basketball at the University of Missouri. Downes is ranked among the nation's top big men in wheelchair basketball. He was named the MVP in this year's NWBA championship game.

• Ben Kenyon, Minnetonka, is still weighing offers from Arizona, Missouri and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Kenyon is a standout in basketball and also competes in track and field and swimming. Ben was MVP of the Courage Center Jr. Rolling Timberwolves in 2008. He is ranked one of the top three prep wheelchair basketball players in the nation.