Middle Tennessee State University bled True Blue and beat Western Kentucky University during the annual MTSU-WKU “100 Miles of Hope” friendly blood drive competition.
MTSU collected 405 units during the three-day effort, 36 more than WKU, which collected 369 units. Together, the Conference USA schools collected 774 units of lifesaving blood. MTSU’s donations alone could potentially save 1,146 lives.
MTSU had nearly 500 donors attend the drive with 170 of them being first-time donors.
Held this year Sept. 9-11 in the Campus Recreation gymnasium, the “100 Miles of Hope” name derived from the distance between MTSU and WKU, since there is approximately 100 miles between the universities.
“On behalf of the blood drive committee, we just want to say thanks to all our students, faculty and staff for giving blood or volunteering at our annual three-day blood drive,” said Ray Wiley, blood drive committee chair and Campus Recreation associate director of facilities. “Your selfless act of service truly made a difference in the lives of others. Way to Go Blue Raiders!”
While participating on day one of the drive, MTSU social work freshman and donor Hayley Davis, of Sweetwater, Tenn., said she’s given blood in the past and donates because, “I feel like a lot of people can use it, and I have extra blood to give, so I figured I could go ahead and help out where I can.”
She also wanted to do her part to help MTSU win this year’s competition, doing just that as MTSU representatives took to the field at Floyd Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 14, to accept the challenge trophy that is presented at the MTSU-WKU football game to the winning school.
In 2023, MTSU collected 451 units, but was nipped by three units as WKU collected 454 units — the universities’ closest blood drive in history — causing MTSU to lose the challenge trophy after four consecutive wins.
MTSU has now regained the trophy and won the contest for a total of nine times, and WKU has won three times since 2010. There was no competition in 2013 when MTSU joined Conference USA nor in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
6,956 units of blood have been collected at MTSU blood drives since 2010, which could potentially save 20,799 neighbors’ lives across Middle Tennessee. MTSU and WKU together have collected 12,881 units of blood since 2010, potentially saving approximately 38,000 lives.
Danny Leon, a 26-year-old from Hermitage, Tenn., is working on his second bachelor’s degree at MTSU in biology. He’s a past donor from a previous “100 Miles of Hope” blood drive during the time he was pursuing his first degree.
Also participating on the drive’s first day, Leon explained that he gives blood because, “I just think it would be really important that if I were in a situation where I needed blood, that there’d be blood available.”
For those who weren’t able to participate in this year’s drive but would like to donate, the American Red Cross is constantly in need of donations. Visit redcross.org for more information about donating.
