University of Illinois students went head-to-head Sunday, competing in this year’s Theta Hoops basketball tournament.
The event, hosted by Kappa Alpha Theta, encouraged Illinois students to sign up and make their way through a bracket until one team ultimately prevailed.
Members of the Illinois men’s basketball team, such as Coleman Hawkins and Luke Goode, officiated the games. They stopped periodically to take occasional pictures with eager competitors and spectators.
Rap music played in the background as players drove past each other, taking contact to finish at the rim with fouls called sparingly.
The event takes place each year, and Jose Andino, freshman in Media, was one of this yearʼs competitors.
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“I like to play basketball,” Andino said. “So, it’s fun to play and then also just to meet people here. Just have a good time and do it for a good cause.”
The cause, Champaign County Court Appointed Special Advocates, seeks to support children within the foster care system, particularly those who have suffered from abuse or neglect.
CASA volunteers advocate for the children in court by recognizing the unique nature of each child’s situation and providing specialized support.
This is not the first year that Kappa Alpha Theta has hosted the fundraiser for CASA. In 2022, the event raised approximately $17,500 for the organization.
In addition to the sign-up fee, raffles were hosted throughout the day. Kappa Alpha Theta’s fundraiser sat at nearly $14,000 on Sunday with donations still coming in.
Hub Champaign Daniel leads the fundraiser donating $2,000, compared to most donations falling between $20 to $100.
Macy Jemmi, sophomore in Education and member of Kappa Alpha Theta, explained it was all hands on deck to make the event possible.
“The whole house comes together in support for the fundraising,” Jemmi said. “We’ve been doing it for about a month. We’ve been outside. We’ve been posting on social media just to get the word out there.”
The newly joined freshman spearheaded the effort, tabling outside the sorority house and collecting donations, while sophomores worked on outreach and publicity.
Everyone in Kappa Alpha Theta attended the event, with some even taking on roles as coaches for the teams competing.
“I just love seeing everyone in support,” Jemmi said. “You can see now everyone looks like they’re having a lot of fun and that’s fun for me.”
