Luxury automaker Infiniti kicked off its sixth annual Infiniti Coaches’ Charity Challenge last week. In collaboration with the National Association of Basketball Coaches, the National Collegiate Athletics Association, and ESPN, the car brand sponsors 48 NCAA Division I men’s basketball coaches in a fan-driven competition to raise money for nonprofit organizations around the country.
“The significant contributions made by men’s college basketball coaches in their communities and across America are amplified by the Infiniti Coaches’ Charity Challenge,” NABC Executive Director Jim Haney told the press. ”In the past five years through the Challenge, college basketball fans across the country have joined with these outstanding coaches to raise funds and awareness for a great number of charitable organizations.”
In the first round, which runs through January 24, all 48 coaches receive a guaranteed $1,000 to donate to their charity of choice. The 24 coaches that make it to round two, which runs from January 25 to February 14, receive $7,500 to donate; the 15 coaches that make it to round three, which runs from February 15 to February 28, receive $10,000 to donate; and the four coaches that make it to round four, which runs from February 29 to March 13, receive $15,000 to donate.
The winning coach received $100,000 to donate to their charity of their choice. Throughout the entire contest, Infiniti donates $345,000 to charity.
Participating coaches include Notre Dame’s Mike Brey who supports Coaches vs. Cancer, Gonzaga’s Mark Few who supports Community Cancer Fund, Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski who supports the Emily Krzyzewski Center, Ohio State’s Thad Matta who supports the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio and Kansas’ Bill Self who support the Assists Foundation.
Lend your support to these good coaches by heading over to ESPN’s site to place your votes.
Current leaders include Michigan’s John Beilein, supporting the ChadTough Foundation, with 43% of the votes, followed by OSU’s Matta with 14% of the votes.