Purnell Announces Preseason Fundraiser

Men's basketball coach Oliver Purnell announced Wednesday he will be holding a preseason fundraiser in an effort to support Coaches vs. Cancer, a partner of the American Cancer Society.

The event, named "Oliver & Vicky Purnell's Tigerfest 2008", will be held Tuesday, October 7 at the Madren Center pavilion.

The event will run from 4:00 to 7:00 PM and will feature live entertainment, food, and beverages. A silent auction will also be held, with all proceeds benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer. All tickets to the event will be pre-sold for a $100 donation. Anne Koutoufas (656-2217) of the men's basketball office will be the contact person for ticket information.

"We can and will make a difference in the fight against cancer," Purnell said. "I'm asking all of you and anyone that hears me to join in this battle and win!"

The American Cancer Society figures from 2007 state that 559,650 people will die from the effects of cancer in just one year. This averages out to approximately 1,500 people per day. Other figures from 2007 approximate that over 1.4 million people will be diagnosed with cancer during a one-year time frame.

Coaches vs. Cancer is a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) that empowers coaches to make a difference in the fight against cancer. Since the concept was adopted in 1993, more than 500 coaches are involved in the program and more than $40 million has been raised to increase cancer awareness.