Teams Raise Over $1,000 for Pilarz Scholarship During D3Week

The University of Scranton Department of Athletics once again celebrated NCAA Division III Week from April 5-11, which for the second straight year was done virtually online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The highlight of the entire week, however, came on April 9, when for the second straight year, various teams from across the department took part in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to spread awareness for ALS.

The challenge this year was simple - student-athletes who are also members of Scranton's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) challenged their coaches. In turn, these same student-athletes raised money throughout the week for a chance to dump a bucket of water on their coach's head.

The funds donated, however, would go straight to The Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. Scholarship, named in honor of the late 24th and 27th President of The University of Scranton who tragically passed away from complications related to ALS on March 10. The scholarship provides financial assistance to University of Scranton students in need.

The response across the department was overwhelming.

Throughout the day, various Scranton athletics teams posted their coaches taking the Ice Bucket challenge on social media channels. These were then shared across Scranton Athletics' own Instagram page, generating positive responses.

When the water dried at the end of the day, Scranton student-athletes and coaches had raised $1,720 for the Pilarz Scholarship, an incredible achievement for the entire department of athletics.

For more on The ALS Association, click here: https://www.als.org/. And, for more on Scranton's SAAC, follow them on Twitter & Instagram @ScrantonSAAC.