Northwestern University Athletics
#B1GCats, Dance Marathon Team Up
4/1/2016 12:06:00 PM | 'Cats Give Back
By Hayden King, Northwestern Correspondent
Wildcat student-athletes helped Northwestern Dance Marathon (NUDM) raise a total of more than $1.2 million, the second most raised in NUDM history, last month.
NUDM participants dance for 30 hours straight, with brief eating and bathroom breaks. The event began in 1975 in Patten Gymnasium and is now held in a covered tent next to Norris University Center.
Participants fight the urge to sleep for a good cause, as NUDM is Northwestern's largest fundraiser by a landslide. This year's proceeds went to Blessings in a Backpack, which provides food to hungry children. Because of the donations, Blessings in a Backpack was able to double its services in Evanston from two schools to four, per NUDM.org.
Although most student-athletes were unable to participate in the event due to the demand of their schedules, the Wildcats promoted and fundraised for the event all year long. Many teams participated by fundraising and 17 student-athletes took it to the next level and danced for three hours.
Dancers were greeted by the football and men's basketball teams, and shown a video message from former #B1GCats quarterback and 2016 Super Bowl champion Trevor Siemian.
Hours into the dancing, Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald and a few of his players took the stage to rally the exhausted dancers. This is an unofficial tradition for Coach Fitz, who has spoken to the crowd at NUDM for the past several years.
"This is what makes Northwestern so special: [students] raising money, giving back and helping those in need, because we're all Wildcats," Fitzgerald said. "We can't thank you enough for your awesome support this year."
After Fitzgerald's pep-talk, senior wide receiver Austin Carr danced and hyped up the crowd with his teammates on stage. Carr, a natural with the microphone, also co-hosted and sang in the annual Student-Athlete Talent Show. Student-athletes raised over $6,000 for NUDM through the talent show and online fundraising.
The show included a Rubik's Cube competition between football player Matt Micucci and swimmer Stephen Shull, a poetry reading from swimmer Ellen Anderson, a dancing performance from the women's swimmers and divers, titled Synchrocatzz, and many more student-athletes displaying their lesser-known abilities.
Northwestern student-athletes have been a part of many other Dance Marathon fundraisers throughout the year. They volunteered as judges for both the Top Chef and Battle of the DJs competitions, and many also spent their day packing food for Blessings in a Backpack.
Men's basketball and tennis games featured attendance contests for NUDM fundraising groups, like Greek life organizations. Whichever group had the highest attendance would receive a donation for NUDM in their name.
The Wildcats' football team also hosted nearly 70 kids who benefitted from Blessings in a Backpack at their game vs. Minnesota. The kids were welcomed to the field before the game for sideline passes en route to a victory for Chicago's Big Ten Team.
While many teams will fundraise and volunteer individually for charities of their choice, NUDM is the one fundraiser that is supported collectively by all of Northwestern Athletics. The team effort helped 2016 to be the second most successful Dance Marathon to date.
Wildcat student-athletes helped Northwestern Dance Marathon (NUDM) raise a total of more than $1.2 million, the second most raised in NUDM history, last month.
NUDM participants dance for 30 hours straight, with brief eating and bathroom breaks. The event began in 1975 in Patten Gymnasium and is now held in a covered tent next to Norris University Center.
Participants fight the urge to sleep for a good cause, as NUDM is Northwestern's largest fundraiser by a landslide. This year's proceeds went to Blessings in a Backpack, which provides food to hungry children. Because of the donations, Blessings in a Backpack was able to double its services in Evanston from two schools to four, per NUDM.org.
Although most student-athletes were unable to participate in the event due to the demand of their schedules, the Wildcats promoted and fundraised for the event all year long. Many teams participated by fundraising and 17 student-athletes took it to the next level and danced for three hours.
Dancers were greeted by the football and men's basketball teams, and shown a video message from former #B1GCats quarterback and 2016 Super Bowl champion Trevor Siemian.
Hours into the dancing, Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald and a few of his players took the stage to rally the exhausted dancers. This is an unofficial tradition for Coach Fitz, who has spoken to the crowd at NUDM for the past several years.
"This is what makes Northwestern so special: [students] raising money, giving back and helping those in need, because we're all Wildcats," Fitzgerald said. "We can't thank you enough for your awesome support this year."
After Fitzgerald's pep-talk, senior wide receiver Austin Carr danced and hyped up the crowd with his teammates on stage. Carr, a natural with the microphone, also co-hosted and sang in the annual Student-Athlete Talent Show. Student-athletes raised over $6,000 for NUDM through the talent show and online fundraising.
The show included a Rubik's Cube competition between football player Matt Micucci and swimmer Stephen Shull, a poetry reading from swimmer Ellen Anderson, a dancing performance from the women's swimmers and divers, titled Synchrocatzz, and many more student-athletes displaying their lesser-known abilities.
Northwestern student-athletes have been a part of many other Dance Marathon fundraisers throughout the year. They volunteered as judges for both the Top Chef and Battle of the DJs competitions, and many also spent their day packing food for Blessings in a Backpack.
Men's basketball and tennis games featured attendance contests for NUDM fundraising groups, like Greek life organizations. Whichever group had the highest attendance would receive a donation for NUDM in their name.
The Wildcats' football team also hosted nearly 70 kids who benefitted from Blessings in a Backpack at their game vs. Minnesota. The kids were welcomed to the field before the game for sideline passes en route to a victory for Chicago's Big Ten Team.
While many teams will fundraise and volunteer individually for charities of their choice, NUDM is the one fundraiser that is supported collectively by all of Northwestern Athletics. The team effort helped 2016 to be the second most successful Dance Marathon to date.
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