'Big House,' bigger heart: Arizona outfielder Tyler Casagrande donating $10K to Banner-UMC

When the NCAA announced on July 1 that college athletes could begin profiting off their name, image and likeness, Arizona Wildcats outfielder Tyler Casagrande knew he had the perfect opportunity to make a positive impact in the Tucson community.

The UA sophomore worked with his dad and a T-shirt company to design a logo and began marketing his product. Through social media efforts and increased exposure from playing in the College World Series, Casagrande’s shirts and hoodies — emblazoned with the words “Big House” (get it?) — were in high demand. Casagrande’s “Big House” T-shirts and hoodies can be purchased at BreakingT.com. T-shirts are $28, while hooded sweatshirts are $52.

On Monday, Casagrande will present a check for $10,000 from his T-shirt and hoodie sales to the Banner-UMC Diamond Children’s Medical Center for kids fighting pediatric cancer. His donation will be used to buy gifts for children in the hospital, resources for families visiting the hospital and making upgrades to the rooms the children stay in.

“It’s something that’s important to my family and I,” Casagrande said.

Casagrande’s parents, Zach and Gena Casagrande, created the Northern Virginia Orthodontics (NVO) foundation in 2014, a non-profit organization that supports the fight against cancer. Since its inception, the foundation — located in Ashburg, Virginia — has raised more than $1.3 million.

Several people in Casagrande’s life have been affected by cancer. He lost two childhood friends to cancer growing up, and Casagrande had been waiting for a time in his life when he could help other affected children.

When Casagrande told friends from back home about how much money he’d raised and where he’d be donating it, they “were fired up” about the efforts, he said.

Once Casagrande realized that he had enough funds to make a true impact, he reached out to the Banner-UMC pediatric center to set up the donation. He visited the hospital and met with Taylor Underwood, the associate director of the pediatric hematology oncology bone marrow transplant unit.

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“I wanted to see where my money would be going,” Casagrande said. “She showed me around and we talked for about two hours about what it’d be used for. For me, that was the cooler part because I didn’t even know where it all would go at first.”

Underwood explained the critical needs of children fighting cancer and the needs of their families. She told Casagrande that all $10,000 would go directly to helping provide families essential resources.

Casagrande will present the check to Underwood on Monday morning.

“I don’t think we have ever had a donation from an athlete, especially coming from the U of A,” she said. “They’re really special patients and special families. The fact that Tyler’s donating to this group of people is really special.”

Casagrande hopes his donation will inspire other Wildcats to do the same.

“It’ll be cool for other athletes here to see that it’s not that hard to raise money and put it to a good cause,” he said.