Matt Cossa Memorial Foundation

Matt Cossa was born in Valley Cottage, NY on December 12, 1984 but spent most of his life in Cary, NC. Matt was a natural leader among his friends and peers, and his passion for life was evident in everything he did. Matt attended Green Hope High School where he was a member of the Beta Club, National Honor Society, and DECA club. He had tremendous athletic ability and played roller hockey, footba

ll, basketball, and ran track. However, Matt was most widely known for his love of baseball. As a four-year starter for the varsity baseball team, Matt was a three-time Tri-7 All-Conference selection and the two-time Green Hope High School Defensive Player of the Year. His speed made him irreplaceable as a lead-off batter and center fielder, and he set the school record for stolen bases. Matt attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was involved with the Carolina Athletic Association and helped plan Late Night With Roy, the “midnight madness” event for Carolina Basketball. He was a student at the Kenan-Flagler business school with an interest in marketing. During his freshman year, Matt was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. He stayed positive throughout the next two years while he continued to play roller hockey and organized trips with friends. Ultimately Matt lost his battle with cancer and passed away shortly after his 21st birthday. The Matt Cossa Memorial celebrates Matt's passion for life and funds cancer research projects in hope that we may someday find a cure for this disease.