CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (September 28, 2022) - Basketball fans and video game enthusiasts alike have the opportunity to join Kadin Shedrick, Kihei Clark, Jayden Gardner, and Ben Vander Plas during the upcoming Cav Futures Streamathon, an event raising much-needed funds in support of the Charlottesville Ronald McDonald House. Through Twitch, viewers will have the opportunity to ask questions of the student-athletes in the chatbox, watch live celebrations as the group hits fundraising benchmarks, and donate directly through the platform. All of the funds raised will go directly to the Ronald McDonald House to help the House provide for the families’ day-to-day needs. 

This program was inspired by the student-athletes’ personal love of gaming. When power forward Ben Vander Plas isn’t at practice, in the gym, or in class, you can find him at home “on the game” and livestreaming his play on Twitch. His love of video games is something that helped him to bond with his new teammates after transferring to the University of Virginia. He soon inspired UVA stars Kadin Shedrick, Kihei Clark, and Jayden Gardner to step up their Twitch streaming efforts, and the group has been steadily growing their fanbase in the e-gaming world. 

In between livestreams and practices, Shedrick, Clark, Gardner, and Vander Plas have spent the last few months joining their teammates at the local Ronald McDonald House for community service. NIL collective Cavalier Futures helped to establish the relationship with the organization, and the Men’s Basketball Team has been featured cleaning the House van, providing new decor, and getting to know the hardworking staff. 

Inspired by the selflessness of the Ronald McDonald House staff and the impact of the organization, the players knew that they could do more by combining their love of gaming with the desire to give back.

Ting Internet, a leading national fiber internet provider and avid supporter of esports, is sponsoring the event and will contribute to fundraising efforts. Ting’s local Marketing Manager, Maran Garland, said,  “At Ting, we pride ourselves on giving back to our local communities and were  struck by this program and the players' enthusiasm to make a difference. The Ronald McDonald House is a very worthy cause and we’re proud to support this initiative.” ” 

“I’m excited for the opportunity to support the Ronald McDonald House through one of my hobbies, and I’m very grateful for the support that Ting and Cav Futures have provided for this event,” said Kadin Shedrick. “It will be a fun new way to interact with Wahoo fans.” 

Ben Vander Plas added “I am very excited to be a part of this fundraiser for many different reasons. It is amazing to be able to help the RMH of Charlottesville through this event and be able to make a positive impact on someone else’s life. Utilizing the platform we have as athletes in an activity we truly enjoy doing in gaming, and being able to come together as a community to help others is something I am blessed to be a part of.” 

The event will be streamed live on Sunday, October 9th from 6 PM to 10 PM EST. The participating players will all stream the family-friendly game “Fall Guys” for the full four hours, but they will switch off being featured on-screen as the livestream host. Viewers do not need a Twitch account to watch the livestream, but viewers will need a Twitch account to use the chat feature. Fans can also donate via this link here: https://tiltify.com/+cav-futures-streamathon/rmhc starting today. The goal is to raise $5000 for the Ronald McDonald House.

LIVESTREAM SCHEDULE: 

6PM - Hosted by Kihei Clark  twitch.tv/biotoxicwalnuts

7PM - Hosted by Jayden Gardner twitch.tv/ssjbeastjaygee

8PM - Hosted by Kadin Shedrick twitch.tv/sheluvsheddy

9PM - Hosted by Ben Vander Plas twitch.tv/benvanderplas5