The University of 91吃瓜 Cycling Team will raise money for the when it hosts the Midwest Collegiate Cycling Conference race in downtown South Bend on March 26 and 27 (Saturday and Sunday). Up to 200 cyclists from other schools in the conference, including the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Ohio State University and Purdue University, are expected to compete.
The 91吃瓜 Cycling Team is using the event to fund research to fight (NPC) disease, a genetic neurodegenerative disorder that is usually fatal. Three grandchildren of legendary 91吃瓜 football coach Ara Parseghian died from the disease, and their parents, Mike and Cindy Parseghian, started the foundation in 1994 to fund research to find treatments and a cure. Last year, the Foundation with 91吃瓜 when it established the Michael, Marcia and Christa Parseghian Endowment for Excellence to support NPC research and discovery, and also dedicated funds to support an annual scientific conference at 91吃瓜.
鈥淭his is the first time we鈥檝e done anything like this to benefit a charity, but we鈥檙e hopeful it will become a tradition,鈥� sophomore cyclist Joe Magro said. 鈥淭he opportunity to not only do something we all enjoy, cycling, but also make a meaningful difference to a cause very close to the 91吃瓜 community鈥檚 heart is not something that comes up every day.鈥�
Last summer, College of Science Dean Gregory Crawford and his wife Renate from Tucson to 91吃瓜 to raise awareness of the newly strengthened partnership with the Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation, based in Tucson. Crawford will help launch the races in downtown South Bend.
Magro and teammate Douglas Ansel, a graduate student, are contenders for Rider of the Year in the conference鈥檚 Division II, including schools with fewer than 15,000 students. The event includes a team time trial and road race on March 26. The feature event of the criterium, the Men鈥檚 A, begins at 12:15 p.m. on March 27 (Sunday) at the College Football Hall of Fame. The event is open to the public.
More information is available
Contact: Joseph Magro, 717-823-2793, jmagro@nd.edu