UWA football to honor memory of former cheerleader

LIVINGSTON, Ala. – To honor the memory of former University of West Alabama cheerleader Bethany Harris, who perished in an automobile accident on Dec. 28, 2015, the Tigers will wear the initials “BH” on back of their helmets during the 2016 season.

“Our football team has decided to add Bethany’s initials to our helmet to honor her and what she meant to our University,” Tiger head coach Brett Gilliland said. “I can’t imagine the pain that her family has faced through this tragedy, so we wanted to find a way for them to know her memory lives on here and we continually have them in our thoughts.”

Bethany’s friends and classmates established a “Buckle Up For Beth” campaign to heighten awareness about wearing a seatbelt while operating a motor vehicle.

From Dora, Alabama, Harris was studying biology at UWA with hopes of becoming a pediatrician to help children with cancer at the time of the accident.

The Tigers will display the “BH” sticker for the first time at the season opener Thursday at North Greenville. Kickoff is 6 p.m. in Tigerville, South Carolina.