Delta Zeta is introducing their new philanthropy event Hoops for Hearing. The basketball tournament will be taking place 12-4 p.m. March 7 at the Marshall University Recreation Center. 

Hoops for Hearing is a basketball tournament in support of the Starkey Hearing Foundation, a nonprofit organization that gives hearing aids to people in need in countries and cities around the world that would otherwise not have access to them. 

Sydnie Bumpus, Delta Zeta’s vice president of philanthropy, said she is looking forward to seeing the success of this new event. Delta Zeta has pledged to donated $5 million to Starkey by the end of 2020. 

Bumpus said the Delta Upsilon chapter is organizing this event to aid in raising that pledged amount, but she thinks it could become a new tradition.

 “I could see Hoops for Hearing becoming an annual event whether it be continued in the spring or be moved to the fall,” Bumpus said. “I would love to see this event continue on and be something that people on and off campus look forward to participating in.” 

Each team will consist of three to four players, with only three on the court at a time. The tournament will be a single elimination bracket. There will be separate brackets for women and men. The game length will be 15 minutes or first team to score 21 points. It is $10 for each player on the team. The winning team will be rewarded a t-shirt.

Bumpus said the goal amount for the event is $2,000, but they are already more than halfway there.

“So far we have raised $1,325 and have seven teams signed up,” Bumpus said. “I’m hoping to get at least three or four more teams by that Friday.” 

“I really like playing basketball and am excited to play for a good cause. And winning a free t-shirt would be cool too,” Blake Ashworth, a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity said. 

Bumpus emphasized the importance to her of reaching out to all organizations on campus to participate. 

“I wanted to make sure that I reached out to other people in the Huntington community and students on campus and to not just focus on other students in Greek Life,” she said. 

Team registration ends on Friday, March 6. Students can sign up on Delta Zeta’s  CrowdChange page or by messaging a DZ member. Donations can be given through the website as well. 

Abby Hanlon can be contacted at hanlon10@marshall.edu.