Rose advances to second round of Infiniti Coaches’ Charity Challenge

PROVO, Utah – Thanks to fan votes, BYU coach Dave Rose has advanced to the second round of the Infiniti Coaches’ Charity Challenge. Rose is competing to raise funds for the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge in Salt Lake City.

Second-round voting of the Coaches’ Charity Challenge is currently underway and runs through February 15. From February 16 to March 1, the top 16 vote-getting coaches from round two will compete in a third, penultimate round and only four coaches will advance to the fourth and final round, March 2 through March 15.

Fans can vote online once per day through the end of the challenge at www.espn.com/infiniti. The winning coach and charity will be announced on March 15.

Currently under construction with an expected completion date in late summer 2015, Hope Lodge will provide a home away from home for cancer patients traveling to Salt Lake City for cancer treatment. A potential $100,000 donation to the Hope Lodge in Salt Lake City would fund more than 2,600 nights of lodging for cancer patients and their caregivers, who will be able to stay at the lodge free of charge for the duration of their treatment.

Rose, who has been a supporter of the Society for several years, knows all too well the effects of cancer and how a donation to Hope Lodge would help those facing the disease.

“It’s an honor for me to represent the Salt Lake City Hope Lodge in the Infiniti Coaches’ Charity Challenge,” said Rose. “The Hope Lodge will provide support to many families who are fighting cancer. I appreciate all the support from the fans who are voting. The further we can advance in this challenge the more we’ll be able to help those in our area who are battling this horrible disease.”

There are currently 31 Hope Lodges across the country serving the lodging needs of adult cancer patients. The Salt Lake City Hope Lodge will be the first to serve the Intermountain West and is expected to serve 800 patients per year. For more information on the Salt Lake City Hope Lodge, visit www.hopelodgeutah.org.

The Infiniti Coaches' Charity Challenge, now in its fourth year, is a partnership of Infiniti, the NCAA, ESPN and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), that provides 48 Division I coaches with the opportunity to raise money for their favorite charities by competing for fan votes through a four-round, 10-week online bracket tournament. All coaches who participate earn $1,000 for their respective charities and have an opportunity to earn more as they advance throughout the competition.

About the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers saving lives and fighting for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the Society's efforts have contributed to a 20 percent decline in cancer death rates in the U.S. since 1991, and a 50 percent drop in smoking rates. Thanks in part to our progress nearly 14 million Americans who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will celebrate more birthdays this year. We're determined to finish the fight against cancer. We're finding cures as the nation’s  largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, ensuring people facing cancer have the help they need and continuing the fight for access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings, clean air, and more. For more information, to get help, or to join the fight, call us anytime, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.