Star of ‘Murderball’ to appear at WSUV

Salmon Creek — A gold medalist featured in an Oscar-nominated 2005 documentary will speak at Washington State University Vancouver’s Spring Marquee Diversity event at 7 p.m. March 7.

Mark Zupan, a Paralympics winner and one of the stars of “Murderball,” will speak in the Firstenburg Student Commons. The event is free, but attendees must register at http://www.vancouver.wsu.edu/mde.

Held twice a year, the Marquee Diversity event seeks to highlight issues of diversity, social justice and multiculturalism. A committee composed of students and staff chooses the event speakers for fall and spring.

Zupan grew up playing soccer and football but was paralyzed in a car accident. Despite being a quadriplegic, he graduated from Georgia Tech and became a civil engineer.

Zupan continued to stay active in sports, enlisting in a quad rugby league after the accident. He was a two-time quad rugby national champion, the 2004 quad rugby player of the year and won Olympic bronze in 2004 and gold in 2008. He gained national recognition after starring in “Murderball,” which featured Zupan and his team’s journey to the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Greece.

WSU Vancouver is at 14204 N.E. Salmon Creek Ave. Parking is free after 7 p.m.