VCU news

By Emma Coates
Development and Alumni Relations

Perhaps, as fans, we have less influence than we would like over the outcome of the on-court encounters between Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond. However, when the two basketball teams meet again at 7 p.m. on Feb. 19 at the Stuart C. Siegel Center, there is one way to put the friendly rivalry and competitive spirit to good use.

Battle for the Capital, an annual giving challenge pitting the alumni of the two universities against each other, runs this year Feb. 12-19.

A competition like this is just fun, and making a gift doesn’t have to cost much.

The idea behind the battle is that each university scores a point every time it receives an online or credit card donation ($5 minimum) from its alumni. The winning university is the one with the most points at the end of battle week. Points are tallied only during the week that leads up to this season’s Atlantic 10 matchup on the court between the Rams and the Spiders.

A win this year would make a hat trick for VCU, which has won the past two of the three years the challenge has previously run. In total, Battle for the Capital has garnered $175,302 for VCU, with $69,613 donated during last year’s battle alone. Donors can support any school, unit or program at VCU.

“A competition like this is just fun, and making a gift doesn’t have to cost much,” said Michael P. Andrews, a VCU alumnus and the university’s director of annual giving.

But there’s an added bonus to the crosstown contest.

“It helps both universities with their U.S. News and World Report rankings,” he said. “It’s a win-win.”

Andrews added that he is grateful that the city’s two universities can come together for an event such as this one. “UR has been so supportive in our efforts to make this challenge a mainstay.”

For more information about the Battle for the Capital, including a scoreboard that will be updated during the week and guidance about how to contribute, visit battleforthecapital.org, a site that VCU and UR is sharing for the challenge.

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