Meet our previous 2024-2025 BEF Athletes below and connect with them on social media
Mackenzie Adair
Mackenzie Adair is a junior at Sacred Heart University majoring in Political Science and Criminal Justice. She is on the club gymnastics team, and has been doing gymnastics since she was two years old. Mackenzie was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis before she was born, and uses gymnastics as a way to stay healthy and active. She is honored to be a BEF Athlete again this year and get the opportunity to advocate for athletes with CF at all levels!
Kayla Cessna
This is Kayla’s second year being a BEF athlete. She was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as a baby, and it has affected her as she has continued her education at Gannon University in the 5 year physician assistant major. Kayla is from North Huntingdon, PA. At Gannon, she is on the women’s lacrosse team and is a sophomore.
Kate Lynne
Conklin
Kate Lynne Conklin is currently a sophomore at Mercy University, majoring in Health Sciences: Clinical Care. At Mercy, Kate Lynne is a part of the field hockey team. While diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at birth, she has continued to play sports since she was 4 and has no plans to stop soon. Kate Lynne joined the BEF team to show every kid with CF that it IS possible to live a life like any other.
Ava Dennis
Ava Dennis is a sophomore at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, majoring in Exercise Science-Pre-Physical Therapy. She will be competing on the Hardin-Simmons softball team in the spring season. Ava was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth and has struggled with it most of her childhood. Despite her illness, she started playing softball at only 5 years old and never stopped since then, collecting MVP team titles and District 1st-team honors. She also competed in cross country and track during her high school career, making 3 state appearances with her team. Coming from a small town, Ava has received support from numerous community members, family, and friends along her path. She hopes to inspire the younger generation of athletes with cystic fibrosis to reach for their dreams and goals.
Cassidy Gilbert
Cassidy Gilbert is from Woodford County, Kentucky and currently competes at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. She runs track and cross country, and pursues her junior year as a Psychology major with clinical and counseling concentrations. She was diagnosed at birth, and has always had a place for sports and athletics in her heart!
Savannah Hairr
Savannah Hairr is currently a freshman volleyball player at William Peace University and is majoring in marketing. Savannah was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at birth and has been playing volleyball since she was 9 years old. Savannah has a strong belief in the correlation between exercise and CF Patients’ health and hopes to use the BEF Athlete program to inspire the younger generation of CF patients and athletes.
Mallory Holloway
Mallory Holloway is a Marist College sophomore who runs Division I cross country and track. She was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at 18 months. She loves her family and is so grateful for everything they have done to help her achieve her goals. Mallory is so excited to join the team and is determined to share her story and inspire all young athletes that all dreams are within reach!
Alexis Lewis
Alexis Lewis is a Nursing major at the University of Mount Olive where she plays for their golf team. Ever since she could hold a golf club her dad has been bringing her out on the course. She played many sports throughout middle school but ultimately decided to focus on golf her freshman year of high school. She was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was born. Alexis joined the BEF Athlete program as a way to meet other collegiate athletes like her living with cystic fibrosis.
Shane McDevitt
Shane McDevitt is currently a junior cross country and track & field runner at Stockton University. Shane is majoring at Stockton in Business Marketing and he grew up in Jackson, New Jersey and has lived there his whole life. Shane was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at birth but he did not let CF limit his athletic ability. Some of his main goals for this year are to continue to stay healthy, run fast times, help spread awareness for CF, and to show people that you can do anything you put your mind to.
Christian Murray
Christian Murray is a senior majoring in business administration at Eastern University and a member of the Esports team. He spent the previous 3 years as a member of the men’s basketball team at Cabrini University before transferring to Eastern University this Fall. He’s thrilled to continue his education at his new University and excited to compete in Esports this season. He was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at two months old. In his free time he enjoys playing basketball, working out, and playing video games with his friends. Christian is excited and thankful to be able to inspire those with CF and is honored to be a BEF Athlete.
Victoria Rapley
Victoria Rapley is a junior at the State University of New York at Cobleskill majoring in Culinary Arts. She plays on the women's soccer team. She has been playing soccer since kindergarten and is a lifelong fan of the Premier League team Tottenham Hotspur. Born a triplet just under 2oz., Victoria was released from the NICU after five months. She was then diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, and CF related diabetes soon after. Growing up very sick has pushed Victoria to where she is today. Recent medical breakthroughs have completely turned her health around. Victoria continues to not let cystic fibrosis define her and wants to show people that anything is possible.
Griffin Taylor
Griffin Taylor is a sophomore at Brown University, competing on the Men’s Squash team. He currently plans to concentrate in Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, and Economics. Diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at age twelve, Griffin continues to advocate for the CF community, including running the New York City Half Marathon for Team Boomer. Growing up in Rhode Island, Griffin enjoys staying active by the beach, and is excited to join Team Boomer as a BEF Athlete.
Sydney Willig
Sydney Willig, originally from North Huntington, Pennsylvania was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at two weeks old and was then diagnosed with CF Related Diabetes at twelve. She is now going into her senior year of college where she plays soccer at Geneva. She is majoring in Special Education and Elementary education. Sydney started playing soccer at just five years old. Not only did Sydney play soccer she competed in downhill racing during winter and also water skis during the summer. She is currently also training to run her first half marathon in Pittsburgh in May. Sydney has gotten this far by having her family and friends push her to do her very best and by always sticking to her treatments. Sydney wanted to become a BEF Athlete so that she can spread awareness about Cystic Fibrosis and show others like her that, even if you live with Cystic Fibrosis you can still compete in athletics at a high level no matter what anyone tells you.
2023-2024 BEF Athletes
William Adair
Connor Bowman
Emily Brown
David Carpenter
Belle Christ
Avery Flatford
Ivan Jacobs
Logan McGovern
Taylor Myers
Kennedy Rooney
Tre Troxler
Jason Werrick
2021-2022 BEF Athletes
“Bryant attackman Logan McGovern has cystic fibrosis, or CF. It’s a rare genetic disease in about 30,0...
NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 22, 2021 As a way to welcome in the new era of cystic fibrosis and to show that the sky ...
“Sydney Willig, a freshman on Geneva’s soccer team, is the rare college athlete competing with cystic fibr...
By Jack Church, The Daily Beacon “When Ryleigh White got injured early in conference play, Karen Weekly ...