Shooting for a Good Cause

Have you ever wanted to go head-to-head with some of Harvard's best athletes? Yesterday, you had your chance.

Following the excitement of March Madness, the Harvard Cancer Society’s 3-on-3 tournament took place yesterday afternoon. The event raised over $300 for the Jimmy Fund, a Boston-based charity group that supports cancer research for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and targeted a different audience than many other HCS events.

The winning team of juniors Collier Winters and Collin Zych and freshman DJ Monroe, all members of the football team, received iPods for their accomplishments, but everyone came away with the rewarding feeling of having helped support cancer research.

Over 21 teams participated in the tournament—the brainchild of sophomores Brian Butler and Chris Guenard, co-chairs of the Hoops against Cancer program within HCS—including varsity basketball co-captain Doug Miller. Participation ranged from freshmen to seniors, and even alumni signed up to play. While Miller’s team definitely had the height and size advantage out of all the teams in the competition, in the end, it was the quickness and sharp shooting of Winters, Zych, and Monroe that took home the gold.

Zych, next year's football captain, and Winters were both All-Ivy selections in 2009—Zych at defensive back and Winters at quarterback.

The event follows the HCS Date Auction, which happened earlier this month and saw athletes like former Olympian junior Emily Hughes, women's basketball sophomore Brogan Berry, and men's basketball co-captain Jeremy Lin up for bid to benefit HCS's work.