When University of Bridgeport head women's basketball coach
Stephanie Del Preore came to campus three years ago, she arrived
with a blueprint not only to create a winning program, but also
with a plan to honor her late father who passed away in 2002 after
a courageous battle with liver and kidney disease.
While the basketball part of the equation is an on-going process
that takes a great amount of recruiting and hard work in practice,
Del Preore's brainchild to honor her late father continues to reach
new heights year after year.
On February 16, 2013, the University of Bridgeport held its third
annual "Donate Life" Day when the Purple Knights hosted Queens
College in an East Coast Conference basketball doubleheader.
Stated coach Del Preore, "I'm so proud of how things have grown
with our "Donate Life" event as we have now raised over $6,400 for
Donate Life Connecticut over the last three years. This year
things were even bigger and better as we raised $2,700. The
community support both on and off campus has been great. In 2002, I
lost my father to a battle with liver and kidney disease. In 1996
he received a double liver/kidney transplant which prolonged his
life six more years. I was fortunate to have him at every
basketball game I played from middle school to high school, and
then my freshman and sophomore year at Marist College. Losing him
was the worst thing I've ever went through, and basketball was my
outlet. I always said that when I became a head coach I was going
to do something to honor my father, my hero and my
inspiration."
All proceeds from the day (all tickets sales and a variety of
raffles) were donated to the Donate Life Connecticut organization
to help raise awareness about organ and tissue donations to help
save lives.
Raffle prizes, which were drawn at both the women's and men's game,
included a variety of tickets to sporting events in the tri-state
area and New England, a variety of hotel stays throughout the area,
gift baskets plus many gift cards to both local and national
retailers and restaurants.
University of Bridgeport Director of Athletics Jay Moran praised
his head women's basketball coach saying, "The amount of time and
effort that Steph has put into the "Donate Life" Days is truly
awesome. When she first came to UB, she told me of her idea
to honor her Dad, and I told her let me know how we can help as a
department, and with the help of all the members of our UB
Athletics family and many other people both on and off campus, the
day had grown into something truly special and something we look
forward to every season."
For more information on the Donate Life program and how to register
to be an organ and tissue donor, please visit the Donate Life
Connecticut website at www.ctorganandtissuedonation.org
Provided by the Bridgeport Sports Information Department.
