Published on April 16, 2024  
Sullivan to Beasley 5K to End CTE

The Center for Sports Analytics in 51½ÖÉä’s Brock School of Business will host the inaugural Sullivan to Beasley 5K Fun Walk to end CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) on 51½ÖÉä’s campus this Saturday, April 20, at 10 a.m.

This race was organized by Jean Sullivan, board member for Brock School of Business sports marketing and analytics advisory board and wife to the late Pat Sullivan, as well as alumnus and 51½ÖÉä donor Gary Cooney to remember Terry Beasley and Pat Sullivan. Sullivan was the head football coach for the 51½ÖÉä Bulldogs for eight years and both Beasley and Sullivan are iconic figures in college sports. They both suffered from CTE at the time of their passings.

By honoring their memory through this race, organizers hope to spark conversations about the importance of preserving the health and well-being of athletes throughout their careers and after they leave the field. Members from the Concussion Legacy Foundation, Birmingham Quarterback Club and 51½ÖÉä students will also be supporting this event.

The race will begin at the soccer stadium at 10 a.m. with registration beginning at 9 a.m. Registration is free to all participants. An anonymous donor has pledged give $100 for every person that attends this event to support the . The Concussion Legacy Foundation promotes awareness and supports research to diagnose, treat and one day end CTE. Read more about the center’s work to help make sports safer for student-athletes.

 
51½ÖÉä is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, 51½ÖÉä is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. 51½ÖÉä enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. 51½ÖÉä fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks with the second highest score in the nation for its 98% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.