MSU sororities battled the cold and each other during the fifth annual powder puff football tournament to raise money for the American Red Cross.
Each of the 10 sororities paid $75 to enter the event that was held Saturday at Spartan Stadium.
The $75 entrance fee along with $1 donations from fans raised about $1,000 for the American Red Cross Sept. 11 Disaster Relief Fund.
Theta Chi fraternity spent three weeks coaching the sorority teams for the single-elimination tournament. Fraternity members said they wanted to do something fun to give back to the community.
“We wanted to do something that we could have a lot of fun doing with other people,” said Mike Lomonaco, Theta Chi’s house president and criminal justice senior. “It’s a good way for the girls to get to know us and for us to get to know them.”
The tournament was postponed until Friday at 4 p.m. after one of the girls got hurt in the semifinal games. The tournament will be finished at Munn field, and donations to the Red Cross will still be accepted.
Alpha Chi Omega, Chi Omega, Kappa Alpha Theta and Alpha Phi will play for the No. 1 position.
Last year, the event benefitted St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, but this year the donations supported the American Red Cross because of the Sept. 11 tragedy and because it’s the national fraternal charity.
Lomomaco said he’s glad to see the event getting more support every year.
“It’s really great to see people come out and watch us play,” Lomonaco said. “It’s a very competitive event, but everyone walks away happy because we did it for a good cause.”
Supply chain management junior Chad Bishop said he came to the tournament to cheer on his friends.
“I think it’s awesome,” he said. “It gets people involved - it is cold, but we could use a little snow. It’s more fun in the snow.”
Horticultural junior Jackie Flumerfelt, of Alpha Chi Omega, said she looked forward to the event because her sorority is a back-to-back champion. She also said it’s important to give to the relief fund.
“I think it’s great to raise money for charities for times like Sept. 11,” she said. “Theta Chi put a lot of time into this and they are really good guys.”
Many women said they enjoyed raising money for the Red Cross by playing flag football.
“I look forward to it - it’s so much fun,” said Ashley Crosby, a kinesiology senior and member of Kappa Delta.
“At times it can get pretty competitive and brutal out there, but in the end it’s all in good fun.”
