Saturday night will mark the first time the Mustangs will take the field together since the passing of Jordan Mann. (John Schreiber)
The SMU alumni men’s soccer game will take place on Saturday, Aug. 25 at Westcott field. The game is named after former SMU player Jordan Mann who passed away over the summer. Over 30 of Mann’s family members will attend the game that kicks of at 7 p.m.
Mann passed away on May 26, 2007 from natural causes at his home in Prairie Village, Kansas. The results of Mann’s autopsy listed the cause of death as “cardiac arrhythmia or possible channelopathy.” Arrhythmia is one of the leading causes of sudden death in athletes and usually occurs on the field of athletic competition with clear symptoms. In Mann’s case, there were no symptoms or signs that could have prevented the fatal blockage of blood flow to his heart.
The alumni game will have an interesting format that should provide great entertainment. Westcott will be divided into two fields where teams of odd-year alumni classes will play even-year alumni classes. For example, a possible match-up would be the classes of ’02 and ’04 against the classes of ’03 and ’05. An estimated 40 to 50 alumni are expected to participate in the game. However, there probably will not be any former players that now play professionally due to scheduling conflicts.
Mann played two seasons for SMU after transferring from Furman University. He was an integral part of the team last year that topped most national polls for almost the entire season. He played in 16 games, scored two goals and added two assists. Mann also played an important role in the ’05 season when SMU made their final four run.
Jordan Mann’s contributions to the team go far beyond anything that statistics can show. His positive outlook on life and upbeat personality always positively influenced players and coaches. Anyone who ever interacted with Mann has nothing but positive things to say about his beaming personality and rigorous work ethic. Junior tri-captain Bruno Guarda described Mann as “one of the hardest working players” that he has ever encountered in the game of soccer.
Guarda strongly supports the commemorative alumni game and is “glad that we [the team] are doing something for a former player and able to honor him” with a memorable game.
For more information on Jordan Mann, visit inmemoryof jordan.com.
