WACO, Texas -- Ten Baylor University officials were traveling to California to attend basketball player Patrick Dennehy's funeral, which is to include scripture readings by hip-hop artist M.C. Hammer.

The Baylor group leaving Wednesday, a day before the service at Jubilee Christian Center in San Jose, Calif., includes president Robert B. Sloan Jr., athletic director Tom Stanton and basketball coach Dave Bliss. Todd Lake, dean of university ministries, said he will stay longer than other officials so he can counsel the family.

ESPN learned Tuesday that Dennehy's body has already been cremated, and that his girlfriend, Jessica De La Rosa, will give the eulogy. The service is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. ET.

The group will take a gift to the family from the Sacramento Kings, whose managers made a jersey emblazoned with Dennehy's name after learning that he aspired to play for the NBA team. Lake said a similar jersey from the Baylor Bears will be presented at a memorial service on the Waco campus Aug. 28.

Several thousand people are expected to attend the Thursday morning service, said Dick Bernal, pastor of Jubilee Christian Center. Bernal arrived in Dallas on Tuesday to collect Dennehy's ashes and planned to return to San Jose on Wednesday.

At the funeral, M.C. Hammer, the hip-hop recording artist and TV personality, will read from Psalms 106. Hammer was an associate pastor at Jubilee for more than two years, hosting a Sunday evening gospel service.

Lake said he also will read from the Bible at the service. Dennehy's stepfather Brian Brabazon said last week that the service would include the James Taylor song "Fire and Rain'' and recitations of slain rapper Tupac Shakur's poetry.

Dennehy, 21, had been missing about six weeks when his body was found July 25 in a field near a rock quarry several miles from Baylor. He died of gunshot wounds to the head, according to a preliminary autopsy report.

Waco police confirmed Tuesday that a 9mm pistol found under a rock at an apartment complex July 17 was not linked to the Dennehy case or used in any crime. Several Baylor athletes live at the complex near campus.

Dennehy's former teammate and roommate, Carlton Dotson, remains jailed in his home state of Maryland and awaits transfer to Texas. He was arrested July 21 after telling FBI agents that he shot Dennehy after the player tried to shoot him, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.