Tigers Participate In NCAC-OAC Challenge In Support Of Capital Head Coach
Four-game, two-day event will raise funds and awareness in support of former Wittenberg men's basketball assistant coach Damon Goodwin, who was recently diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia.
Springfield, Ohio – Two men's basketball teams from both the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) and Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) long ago agreed to participate in a four-game, two-day, tip-off event called the NCAC/OAC Challenge. Now that event has meaning far beyond wins and losses.
The newly-created NCAC/OAC Challenge features Otterbein University and Capital University from the OAC and Ohio Wesleyan University and Wittenberg University from the NCAC. Capital and Wittenberg will play at 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, in Otterbein’s Rike Center, with the host Cardinals taking on Ohio Wesleyan at 7 p.m. the same day. The event resumes at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, at Wittenberg’s Pam Evans Smith Arena, with Capital and OWU matching up first and Otterbein playing the host Tigers in the nightcap.
The NCAC/OAC Challenge has taken on an additional purpose. It will also serve as an awareness event for leukemia as all four schools rally around Capital head coach Damon Goodwin, who was recently diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia, a rare but highly treatable cancer of the blood. Goodwin has since taken a leave of absence and is expected to return once healthy.
Together, the universities plan to raise critical funds for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) to show support as Goodwin enters treatment. Flat donations will be collected, wristbands with the inscription "No one fights alone" will be sold for $5, and all ticket sales from both sites will be donated to the cause. In addition, fans will see players from all four teams wearing orange leukemia awareness t-shirts instead of their traditional pre-game attire.
Fundraising Page In Honor Of Damon Goodwin
Fans are encouraged to help launch the 2015-16 basketball season while also contributing to funding therapies, treatments and saving lives. LLS's continued advancements over the years are responsible for the blood cancer survival rate doubling, tripling and, in some cases, even quadrupling. In addition to blood cancer, LLS supported therapies are now helping patients with other forms of cancer.
All donations, which are tax deductible, go on to support LLS research, patient services, advocacy, public and professional education and community services. CLICK HERE to donate through the online event page in honor of Coach Goodwin, and visit lls.org for more information about the voluntary health organization.