NAMPA, Idaho - Northwest Nazarene men's basketball head coach Jon Hawkins has announced the signing of Kase Blaine Jay as the newest member of the Nighthawks.

Kase joins the Nighthawks through Team IMPACT ahead of the 2026-27 season.

"We're incredibly excited to welcome Kase and his family into our Nighthawk family. Our program is about so much more than basketball, and having Kase as part of our team is a great reminder of that. We're looking forward to building a relationship with him, having him around our guys and making some great memories together. We know Kase is going to have an impact on our team, and we hope we can have just as much of an impact on him."
-Jon Hawkins, NNU Men's Basketball Head Coach

Team IMPACT is an organization that matches children facing serious illness and disability with college athletic teams, creating long-term relationships and life-changing experiences for everyone involved.

Kase is a five-year-old from Mountain Home, Idaho, who has shown tremendous resilience throughout his medical journey following a serious car accident. His family describes him as joking, loving and tenacious, with a personality that has continued to shine throughout his journey.

Kase made his commitment to the Nighthawks official during a special signing day surrounded by his friends, family and the NNU men's basketball team.

NNU sophomore Quincy Scott played a key role in organizing Kase's signing day and has already built a strong relationship with the newest Nighthawk.

Away from the court, Kase loves basketball, Spider-Man and dinosaurs, with the T-Rex ranking as his favorite.