Annual event raises money for Special Olympics

Saturday’s rain didn’t stop the Towson student athletes from participating in the annual Pigskin Pass fundraiser, which raised more than $24,000 for the Special Olympics. 

The event, which was sponsored by CareFirst, is a 58-mile run that takes place before the rival Delaware and Towson football game.  Approximately 175 Towson student athletes helped to carry the game ball to Johnny Unitas Stadium from the University of Delaware. Delaware student athletes ran the first 29 miles on Friday and Towson ran the last on Saturday morning, arriving at the Towson Center for a tailgate before the 3:30 p.m. game. Delaware’s mascot UDee handed off the game ball to mascot Doc at a ceremony at the race’s midpoint in Aberdeen, Md., on Friday night. Towson’s co-chairs of the Pigskin Pass, Molly Frantz and Stephanie Taylor, explained that the athletes were divided into three groups and each group ran for 10-mile intervals. Each athlete was required to run at least one mile, but many students ran even more than they were expected to, Frantz said. 

Maryland police escorts in cars and on motorcycles protected the students during the entire trip and helped map out the route.  

Several Towson teams participated in the event and those who could not run helped by raising money before the event to support the cause.  At game time, the athletes presented a check for a total of $24,367, with both schools contributing nearly equal amounts. The total will continue to grow over the next few weeks as the final donations come in. The participants raised money individually, which contributed to their teams’ totals. Towson’s track and field team raised the most money with $2,435, followed by the cheerleading team, which raised $2,008, both surpassing their team goals. Athletes could reach out to friends and family and invite them to make donations on the Pigskin Pass Web site. The money raised benefits the Special Olympics to help fund their sporting events and programs, according to Lisa Smith, coordinator of special events for Delaware’s Special Olympics.

 “The funds that the student athletes from University of Delaware raise come to the Special Olympics of Delaware and the funds that Towson raises go to Special Olympics of Maryland.  It’s a unique event in that it’s a fundraiser for Special Olympics as a whole, but it goes between the two states,” Smith said.

Margie Tversky, associate director of athletics for student services, was a main coordinator for the event and praised the spirit and commitment that the Towson students showed. Students signed up as late as Saturday morning to participate. 

“I’m impressed with the athletes’ spirit and their desire to give of themselves,” Tversky said. “

With the weather like this, I was sure that we would have people dropping off.”

Head coach of the men’s basketball team, Pat Kennedy, also said that he was impressed by the initiative that his team showed.

“The whole team is here. In fact, we had a practice time set where only half of them would have been able to do it. And they came to me and said ‘Coach, can we change practice so we can all do it?’ and so we ended up practicing early this morning so they could all participate,” Kennedy said. 

The student athletes appreciated the opportunity to support an important cause while working with other Towson teams. 

Senior Bradley Bolin, a member of the swimming and diving team, has run in the event three times now.

“I love participating; I think it’s a really great cause.,” Bolin said.

“It’s a lot of fun and I like the idea of athletes supporting athletes.” 

Delaware’s victory in the game also won them their third Pigskin Pass Trophy, which is awarded to the winning team of the game.  

Special Olympics athlete Elizabeth Nolan and Frantz presented the trophy to two Delaware players after the game.