A month ago, Lakeland Middle School lost one of our own when 8th grader Wyatt Bagne tragically passed away in an accident.
Wyatt was a huge Phoenix Suns fan, and thanks to the incredible generosity of Suns owner Mat Ishbia, @kristenkenyon , @_josh_mccann and everyone with the Phoenix Suns organization, a custom Suns jersey with Wyatt’s #44 and “Bagne” on the back arrived just in time for his Celebration of Life.
We were honored to present it to Wyatt’s family, and it was a powerful reminder that kindness can travel a long way and make a real difference during difficult times.
Thank you for taking the time to read Wyatt’s story and for helping us honor his memory. Your compassion meant more than you know.
“Thank you” hardly feels sufficient for the Griz village that helped raise me.
Coaches Pflugrad, Delaney, Stitt, Hauck, and every man I’ve had the privilege to play under and coach alongside—thank you for trusting me. You allowed me to try, to fail, to learn, to grow, and ultimately to develop into a player, coach and mentor I aspired to be. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity you gave me to pursue my dream of coaching and impacting young men.
To my family—Meghan, Giana, Karis, and Brycen: thank you for every sacrifice. Being married to a coach and being a coaches kid isn’t for the timid or the weak. The days are long, and the time away from home is frequent. You are my “why”. None of this works without your love, patience, and unwavering support.
To my players: I have been blessed with an elite and remarkable group of young men in my running back room. You showed up, competed, and gave me your best every single day. I am grateful to you and to your parents for trusting the Griz—and me—during such an important stage of your lives.
To everyone in Grizzly Athletics: I will miss seeing my people in the hallways and sharing the daily grind with you. Thank you for the loyalty and the pride you bring to this program. Keep pouring into this place—it matters more than you know.
To Griz Nation: thank you for being so good to me, my family, and this team. This is a special place filled with special people, and you are a huge reason for our success.
To our extended family: This team and city became yours too. The love and support that's been given is immeasurable.
To the friends we have made along the way, from my playing days to now: Thank you for taking us in, for loving us, and always encouraging us. Those relationships and memories will never be replaced or forgotten.
Fifteen years here have been nothing short of amazing. I will always be honored and grateful to be a Griz.
🎥 Quinn Ewers brilliantly explains his decision to enter the draft despite having big offers to transfer from Texas:
"The legacy we built, I didn't want to mess anything up... I was a lifelong Longhorn, growing up I wanted to play there. Ended up being the QB [at Texas], living out my dreams. My 10 year old self wouldn't transfer away and go somewhere else... that's important for these younger kids to take into account is - stop being so focused on [NIL] and start building relationships that matter" (@MiamiDolphins) #PhinsUp