Press Releases
LAS VEGAS, NV – May 16, 2016 – College basketball coaches from across the nation will team up May 22-24 for the American Cancer Society’s 9th annual Coaches vs. Cancer Las Vegas Golf Classic hosted by MGM Grand. Coaches vs. Cancer is a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). The event is presented by Advisors Excel.
Last year’s event produced a donation to the American Cancer Society of nearly $550,000.
College basketball coaches from around the nation will host more than 240 golfers at the two-day tournament (May 23-24) at Shadow Creek and Southern Highlands golf courses.
This year’s field of coaches is led by two NCAA veterans who led their respective teams to the 2016 Final Four – Oklahoma’s Lon Kruger and North Carolina’s Roy Williams. Several coaches will be making their first appearance at the event – including Iowa’s Fran McCaffery, USC’s Andy Enfield, Cal’s Cuonzo Martin, Hawai’i’s Eran Ganot and Oakland’s Greg Kampe – making this one of the strongest line-ups in the history of the event.
The Coaches vs. Cancer Las Vegas Golf Classic was founded by current Oklahoma basketball coach and event chair Lon Kruger, while he was head coach at UNLV. “It’s great to see so many new faces involved with the event this year as well as the coaches and golfers who support the event year after year,” Kruger said. “This has become a special three days in Las Vegas and all for a great cause.”
On Monday evening, May 23, the Jabbawockeez – the world’s most-popular hip hop dance crew – will perform for the private “Bigger Monday” party at MGM Grand. The band Elvis Monroe and comedian John DiCrosta from Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club at MGM Grand will also make appearances.
Coaches and celebrities scheduled to join Kruger for a mix of fun and fundraising during the 3-day event are: Dana Altman, Oregon; Bob Chipman, Washburn; Andy Enfield, USC; Eran Ganot, Hawaii; Greg Kampe, Oakland; Larry Krystkowiak, Utah; Cuonzo Martin, Cal; Frank Martin, South Carolina; Fran McCaffrey, Iowa; Greg McDermott, Creighton; Marvin Menzies, UNLV; Tim Miles, Nebraska; Jack Murphy, Northern Arizona; Dave Pilipovich, Air Force; Bruce Weber, Kansas State; Roy Williams, North Carolina; Jim Harrick, UCLA-retired; Gene Keady, Purdue-retired; Jim Livengood, Retired AD; Chris Crutchfield, Oklahoma; Carlin Hartman, Oklahoma; Kevin Kruger, Oklahoma; Kevin McKenna, Oregon; Joe Washington, Oklahoma; Bobby Jack Wright, Oklahoma; JT the Brick, FOX Sports Radio; Sean Farnham, ESPN; Jim Colbert, PGA; and Dave Riske, MLB-retired.
"We enjoy the opportunity to host the Coaches vs. Cancer event at MGM Grand and Shadow Creek each year,” said Scott Sibella, president and COO of MGM Grand. “As the Entertainment Authority, it’s a great opportunity for us to combine sports, entertainment and the platform of Las Vegas to help us raise dollars to fight cancer. It’s a terrific partnership and a special event.”
Key supporters of the 2016 Coaches vs. Cancer Las Vegas Golf Classic include Advisors Excel, MGM Grand, Top of the World Headwear, Nike, Topgolf Las Vegas, The UPS Store, UPS, Xs & Os of Success, Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada (in affiliation with both the world-renowned USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and The US Oncology Network) and Dignity Health.
Over the past eight years, the event has netted over $2 million which supports American Cancer Society programs including research ($720,000 is currently at work at University of Nevada, Reno); free local patient and caregiver services including transportation, lodging, wigs and head coverings; Look Good…Feel Better® sessions to help women manage appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment; a patient navigator at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas; and cancer-related guidance available 24/7 at 800-227-2345 and cancer.org.
For more information regarding the Coaches vs. Cancer Las Vegas Golf Classic, contact Jennifer Campbell of the American Cancer Society at 702.891.9014 or Jennifer.Campbell@cancer.org.