SEC fans can dive into the courageous battle of Tennessee men’s basketball great Chris Lofton with the debut of SEC Storied: “Volunteer For Life” on Monday, March 10 at 7 p.m. ET. Directed by Shaun Silva, “Volunteer For Life” was created in recognition of Lofton’s private, in-season battle with cancer throughout the latter half of his career as a Vol.

“This is an emotional story about the courage and perseverance in the face of tremendous adversity all focused with a team first attitude,” says Director Shaun Silva. “I wanted viewers to experience Chris’s journey as he did, to feel every twist and emotional turn – through unimaginable pain, doubt, isolation, frustration and the heartbreaking disappointment he endured.”

Lofton was often dubbed as the reason Thompson-Boling Arena was packed game in and game out. His electric play, coupled with his success in high-pressure moments made him a fan favorite not only in Knoxville, but across the nation. He was the go-to on the court for Tennessee during crunch time – when stakes were high and the odds seemed impossible to overcome, get him the ball.

Overcoming impossible odds took on a whole new meaning for Lofton and his entire family as he was diagnosed with cancer at the end of his junior season. Not wanting to be a distraction to his team, Lofton made the decision to fight this battle privately, all while continuing to contribute on the court.

Lofton kept this secret from his teammates, his friends, the Tennessee community – telling only a select few who followed his wishes for this to remain quiet. His play on the court changed over the course of his senior season as he was continuing to fight, causing local and national media alike to wonder the question: What happened to Chris Lofton?

ESPN Senior Writer, Chris Low, was the first person outside of the small circle Lofton told to find out about the diagnosis. He was left with a choice – losing out on a scoop that could skyrocket his career or hearing Lofton’s pleas that this battle remains private.

“Volunteer for Life” takes viewers on a journey of incredible bravery, heart and fight through the most difficult of situations.

To request an advance media screener, please email [email protected].

Director Bio
With 34 years in the film industry, Shaun Silva brings a seasoned level of experience. A California native, who moved from the Central Valley to Los Angeles in 1990, it was in 1999 that he made his leap from Assistant Director to Directing. His 1999 video for Music Icon Kenny Rogers, marked the first of nearly 100 #1 music videos Silva has directed to date. As a result, he has earned a staggering 50 plus Music Video Nominations, 28 video wins, two Director of the Year Awards, an Academy of Country Music Award, and a CMA Touring Director of the Year Award. In 2010, Silva directed his first of six documentary films to date for ESPN Films. From those films, he has racked up multiple Telly Awards and a Sports Emmy Nomination for the acclaimed film “The Irrelevant Giant” featuring Hall of Fame Coach Bill Parcells. Music documentaries and concert films have made Silva the go-to storyteller for such artists as Multi-Entertainer of the Year winners, Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney, and Jason Aldean. Other artists he has worked alongside specifically in the doc/concert film space are Carly Pearce, Randy Travis, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Waylon Jennings, Rascal Flats, Sugarland, and Josh Turner. In 2023, Silva Executive Produced his first feature film in association with Margate House Pictures. Margate founders Conor and Jake Allyn called upon him after watching his documentary Dear Rodeo. Director Jake Allyn felt Silva and his production company TackleBox Films would prove instrumental in telling an authentic, gritty film about a three-generation bull-riding rodeo family. The film “RIDE” premiered in theaters July 4th, 2024.

Producer Bio
Hailing from North New Jersey, Don Lepore has been a Producer on a vast array of television and long form projects ranging from feature length films and documentaries to television series and specials for over thirty years. Lepore served as Producer on projects such as “Billy Joel – The Last Play at Shea”, “Garth Brooks: One Man, One Night, One City” theatrical release, Prince’s “3 Chains o’ Gold” long form effort, and “Creature”, a critically acclaimed feature film documentary. Additionally, he has produced several projects in collaboration with Shaun Silva of TackleBox Films for ESPN Films including “Boys of Fall” feature length documentary, “The Color Orange: The Condredge Holloway Story”, “The Believer: The Life and Career of Steve Spurrier”, “More Than a Voice”, “Volunteer for Life: The Chris Lofton Story” which is set to air in the Spring of 2025 and the Emmy nominated “The Irrelevant Giant” which he also co-directed. Lepore was also a Producer on the critically acclaimed feature film, “Ride”, released in June 2024 in addition to other endeavors such as “Jason Aldean – Night Train to Georgia“, “Rascal Flatts: Changed”, “More Life”, and “Luke Bryan: Farm Tour.” Don Lepore’s well-rounded and diverse career as a creative Producer along with his production experience and knowledge has been an asset to every project he has been associated with.

About SEC Network
The Southeastern Conference and ESPN launched SEC Network on August 14, 2014. The network televises hundreds of games across the SEC’s 21 sports annually. Programming includes in-depth analysis and storytelling in studio shows such as SEC Nation, Marty & McGee, Out Of Pocket, Read & React and Rally Cap, daily news and information with The Paul Finebaum Show and SEC Now, original content such as the Emmy Award-winning TrueSouth, SEC Storied and SEC Inside, and more. Hundreds of additional live events are available for streaming exclusively on SEC Network’s digital companion, SEC Network+, via the ESPN App and SECNetwork.com. Follow SEC Network on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Twitter/X.