April 12, 2012
ALS Fundraiser recap and photo gallery from April, 2011.
The University of New Mexico men’s soccer team and Lobo fans are mourning the loss of Pat Grange, who succumbed to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease) yesterday after a courageous 18-month battle with the disease. Pat was just 29 years old.
Grange played for the Lobos his junior and senior seasons after transferring back to Albuquerque from Illinois-Chicago. With New Mexico, Grange scored 12 career goals and had five assists. He was instrumental in the Lobos’ march to the 2004 NCAA Sweet 16.
“Pat is a huge part of our program, and he always will be,” said head coach Jeremy Fishbein. “Everybody who knew Pat has wonderful memories of him. He brought joy to everybody he touched. Our hearts go outto his family, and he will be missed.”
Pat graduated from Albuquerque High School, where he was a three-time All-State selection, and where he helped AHS to the District 1-5A Championship as a senior.
Grange was diagnosed with ALS in late 2010, and last April the UNM men’s soccer team hosted the Lou Gehrig’s Disease Fundraiser and Alumni All-Star game, which also featured a silent auction. Nearly3,000 fans turned out, raising $45,000 for the Grange family and ALS research.
Grange’s passing is the second tragedy to befell the 2004 team, as Ben Ashwill, who was a senior on that NCAA runner-up team, was killed in a car crash in 2010.