By KU ATHLETICS
SAN ANTONIO – For the past few years, the NCAA has made funds available to help pay travel and lodging expenses for the families of student-athletes participating in the NCAA Final Four. Sometimes the details of such travel gets a bit complicated; one such instance is that of Ms. Florence Azuonuwu, the mother of University of Kansas sophomore center Udoka Azubuike.
Azuonuwu lives in Delta, Nigeria, and has never seen her son play basketball. In her case, the process included obtaining a passport and a visa in a very short amount of time.
Many people helped with this process, starting with U.S. Senators Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran and U.S. Representative Kevin Yoder, all from Kansas.
“For Doke to be able to share his experience at the Final Four with his mom is something neither of them will ever forget,” said KU Athletics Director Sheahon Zenger. “You can see it in Doke’s face whenever we discuss it.”
Others who helped with the process include U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Stuart Symington IV; Cecily Brewer, Senior Desk Officer, Nigeria, U.S. Department of State; Sherman Grandy of the U.S. Consulate in Lagos; and several members of the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, Nigeria: Laura Fields, Megan Moore, and Carol Cox.
“We are thankful to them for going above and beyond to help Udoka and his mom,” Zenger said.
