Freshman post player Alex Brandt got his first taste of the Wittenberg-Wooster men's basketball rivalry on Jan. 17. The rematch is Feb. 14, including the first-ever "Blood Battle."
Springfield, Ohio — The Wittenberg University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and Student Senate are putting school bragging rights on the line as never before.
On Friday, Jan. 30, SAAC and Student Senate are hosting the first-ever "Blood Battle," a blood drive competition with North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) arch-rival Wooster. Wittenberg students, faculty and staff are invited to give blood between the hours of noon and 4 p.m. in the Gus Geil Lounge of the Benham-Pence Student Center.
The results of the blood drive will be announced at the Feb. 14 men's basketball game against Wooster in Wittenberg's Pam Evans Smith Arena. Wooster students, faculty and staff are also holding a blood drive. The director of athletics at the school that loses the "Blood Battle" will be forced to wear the opposing school's hat for the entire second half of the Feb. 14 game.
"This is a really great way to get Wittenberg community members involved in a great cause, while showing their competitive spirit," said Wittenberg SAAC Vice President Erin Slattery, class of 2010 from Chagrin Falls, Ohio. "We hope to fill all of our 80 time slots during the day so we can put the Wittenberg Red & White on Wooster's athletic director."
SAAC is an organization that represents and advocates the interests of Wittenberg student-athletes to the rest of the university community. Through bi-weekly meetings, student-athletes are able to network and organize events, including National Girls and Women in Sport Day on Feb. 7, Take a Kid to the Game Day on Feb. 14 and a holiday service project last month in which each student-athlete on campus was asked to donate $1 to supply toys for a local family.
Student Senate is a student organization comprised of elected representatives from various campus constituencies. The group includes an executive committee (elected at-large among the entire student body), as well as class presidents, and senators representing large groups, including Greek and non-Greek organizations, student-athletes, international students, Concerned Black Students, residence life and others. The group serves as the campus' student government, and actively supports Wittenberg as the liaison for students to the university administration.
Written By: Ryan Maurer
Photo By: Erin Pence
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