Infiniti Helps Charities Score Big With $1,000,000 in College Basketball Sponsorship Related Donations

FRANKLIN, Tenn., May 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Infiniti capped another winning year of support for NCAA® Division I men's basketball, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), and various coaches' charities with a check presentation ceremony at Infiniti Americas Headquarters – part of more than $1,000,000 donated during the 2011 – 2012 season.  The event was emceed by ESPN sports analyst Doug Gottlieb.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080506/INFINITIBADGELOGO )

Ohio State University men's basketball coach Thad Matta received a $100,000 check for his charity, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio, for winning the annual "Infiniti Coaches' Charity Challenge."  Coach Matta, with support from his Ohio State Buckeye fans, bested 47 other NABC NCAA Division I men's basketball coaches in the annual competition.  Fan participation determined the ultimate winner by voting online over an eight-week period.  The other 47 coaches' designated charities received $5,000 each from Infiniti, for a total donation of $335,000 for the event.  Receiving the $100,000 check from Infiniti and Matta was Dee Anders, CEO and executive director, RMHC of Central Ohio.

In addition, Saint Joseph's University men's basketball coach Phil Martelli, Chair of the Coaches vs. Cancer Council, received Infiniti's donation of $700,000 for Coaches vs. Cancer, a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the NABC.  The total amount, a significant increase from previous years, was a direct result of fan participation in the Infiniti sponsored online "Round by Round" bracket game during the NCAA® Division I Men's Basketball Championship.  Joining Martelli for the award were representatives of the American Cancer Society and NABC.

"Infiniti congratulates Coach Matta for an amazing run in the tournament, including an appearance in the Men's Final Four®, and for his ongoing support of local Ohio charities," said Infiniti Americas Vice President Ben Poore.  "We're also proud to have Coach Martelli and representatives from the NABC and the American Cancer Society here today to receive the Coaches vs. Cancer award.  The real winners are the patients who benefit from the remarkable services and support of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio, the American Cancer Society and all the other designated organizations."

"I am absolutely thrilled that this money will help the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio.  Thanks to the financial support of Infiniti and the votes of Buckeye Nation, we will be able to help the families of sick children feel comforted in their time of need," said Matta.

"Infiniti and our NABC coaches were a championship team raising a tremendous amount of money and giving back to so many deserving charities.  The donation to Coaches vs. Cancer is breathtaking and will allow the program to grow in awareness," said Martelli.  "On behalf of all of the groups that have been so positively impacted by the Infiniti Coaches' Challenge and Round by Round bracket game, thank you!  You have made a huge difference."

About Infiniti

Infiniti offers a full-line of luxury performance automobiles, including the G Coupe, Sedan and Convertible, Infiniti M sedan, EX and FX crossovers, the QX full-size SUV and the all-new Infiniti JX luxury crossover.  More information about Infiniti and its Total Ownership Experience® can be found at www.InfinitiUSA.com.

About NCAA

The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities.  Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. 

Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes.  [NCAA, Final Four and March Madness are trademarks owned or licensed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.]

About the National Association of Basketball Coaches

Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Forrest "Phog" Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas.  Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today's student-athletes.

The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at www.nabc.org.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio

When a child is hospitalized, the healing power of having family nearby is beyond measure. It is this heartfelt purpose that both drives and defines the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. The Columbus Ronald McDonald House is located directly across the street from Nationwide Children's Hospital and serves the needs of families with seriously ill children receiving treatment in the hospital. Open 365 days a year, the Ronald McDonald House offers comfortable bedrooms with private baths, continuing care suites for recovering transplant patients, fully equipped kitchens and dining areas, play rooms, laundry facilities, a meditation room, exercise room and informal gathering areas. It is a home-away-from-home for families in their greatest time of need. From the visionary beginnings of the first Ronald McDonald House on 18th street, to the House at 711 Livingston Ave, RMHC has grown with the Columbus community and its needs. The House has the capacity to be a home-away-from-home for eighty families every night, making it the second largest Ronald McDonald House in the U.S. Each year, RMHC provides 20,000 nights at the House for over 3,000 families. www.RMHC-CentralOhio.org

About Coaches vs. Cancer

Coaches vs. Cancer is a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) that empowers basketball coaches, their teams, and local communities to make a difference in the fight against cancer.  The program leverages the personal experiences, community leadership, and professional excellence of basketball coaches nationwide to increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living through year-round awareness efforts, fundraising activities, and advocacy programs.  Since 1993, the initiative has raised more than $80 million dollars to fund groundbreaking research, provide up-to-date cancer literacy, advocate for public health policies and deliver services to improve the quality of life for patients and their families.  To learn more, visit coachesvscancer.org

SOURCE Infiniti

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