Head Men’s Basketball Coach Emmett Davis recently sent out an e-mail to the Colgate community requesting volunteers to participate in the Coaches vs. Cancer Three Point Attack team this December.

Colgate Men’s Basketball has been participating in the charity known as Coaches vs. Cancer since 2000, and has donated over $30,000 to the American Cancer Society. Since 1996, the American Cancer Society has teamed with the National Association of Basketball Coaches to raise money for research, education, and patient services for those affected by the disease.

Over the years, Coaches vs. Cancer has raised more than $20 million nationally with the participation of nearly 400 coaches who have joined in the effort. The annual invitational tournament, known as the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic, raises money towards Coaches vs. Cancer. It hosts 16 teams from 16 different conferences, and results in championship rounds every year in New York City.

Colgate Men’s Basketball is especially proud to be participating in Coaches vs. Cancer in loving memory of a former coach, Jack Bruen. The team lost Coach Bruen in December of 1997 to pancreatic cancer, so this fundraising effort is especially meaningful for members of the team and of the Colgate community who remember Coach Bruen.

The Men’s Basketball Team hopes that the Colgate community will join in their efforts to raise money for Coaches vs. Cancer through the “Three Point Attack Team.” The team welcomes students, faculty and friends to pledge just one dollar for every three-point basket that the Men’s Basketball Team makes during the 2007-2008 season.

“Students should give money to Coaches vs. Cancer because giving a little can go a long way,” Colgate’s shooting guard junior William Morse said. “In addition to going towards a great cause, it’s also a good way to support your team.”

Morse also mentioned his personal experiences.

“As someone whose father has had cancer, I can tell you firsthand how much it means to see people giving to a great cause,” Morse said.

Last year, Colgate fans pledged $35 per three-point shot. This raised over $5,000 just last year as the team shot 147 three-point shots.

Fundraising looks good for this year, as the Raiders are off to a great season. The Men’s Basketball team is currently 4-1, predicted to finish third in the conference, and, according to Morse, they “have the parts to win the Patriot League.”

The Men’s Basketball team is even more excited about the prospects for this year because they know that whatever successes they have on the court will not only affect them as a competitive team, but also contribute to the larger team efforts against cancer.