MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — As the football rivalry between Middle Tennessee State University and Western Kentucky University heats up, the Blue Raider community will have a chance to score a victory — long before the Nov. 7 kickoff between the two Conference USA rivals — by donating at the annual “100 Miles of Hope” blood drive.

Hosted in partnership with MTSU Athletics and the American Red Cross, the three-day blood drive at MTSU will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, Nov. 2-4, at MTSU’s Campus Recreation Center, 1848 Blue Raider Drive.

“It is wonderful to see so many students, faculty, and staff step up — a true testament to the giving heart of the MTSU community,” said Josh Stone, director of Campus Recreation and blood drive committee member. 

Off-campus donors can park for free in visitor parking spots at MT One Stop, 1860 Blue Raider Drive, next to Campus Rec. A searchable campus parking map is available at bit.ly/2026parkingmap.

While walk-ins are welcome, donors are encouraged to sign up for the event online. Another way to sign up is to download the Blood Donor App and use the sponsor code MTSU. There are also specific height and weight requirements that vary between male and female donors. Visit bit.ly/2026MTSUblood to learn more.

All presenting donors will get pizza, a commemorative T-shirt, $10 Amazon eGift card and four tickets to the 2026 New Mexico State vs. Blue Raiders game.

Competition yields more than a trophy

At the same time, the WKU Hilltoppers will hold its own version of the blood drive before heading to MTSU’s Floyd Stadium to face off with the Blue Raiders for MTSU’s Homecoming on Nov. 7. Whichever university garners the most donations wins a coveted challenge trophy to display, although the benefits of the multi-state blood drive go far beyond the competition. The winner of the competition will be announced during the game.

“The impact that MTSU has with the amount of donors that show up, students, faculty and staff, is truly a miracle,” said Scarlett James, who is spearheading the drive in her role as blood services state lead for the American Red Cross. “If we reach our goal, the blood collected through this drive has the potential to help save thousands of lives.”

The event’s name is a nod to the 100 miles separating the two universities, and the annual event has grown into a tradition that combines school pride with community service. Since the blood drive began in 2010, MTSU and WKU have collected 7,468 units of blood, potentially saving the lives of over 22,000 people.

Last year, Blue Raider supporters helped MTSU continue its winning tradition by collecting 301 units of blood, nearly 100 more than Western Kentucky University’s 211 units during the three-day drive. More than 150 first-time donors participated, helping MTSU secure another victory in the rivalry.

While the competition provides plenty of motivation, James said the need for donors extends far beyond the challenge itself. Blood products are used every day to support trauma patients, cancer treatments, surgeries and individuals living with chronic illnesses.

“You go in, you donate that one pint of blood and we divide it into three things: platelets, plasma and red cells. That’s how each donation can impact the lives of three people,” James explained.

She also hopes this year’s drive will increase awareness about the need for ethnically matched blood donations, particularly for patients living with sickle cell disease, the nation’s most common inherited blood disorder. Because many sickle cell patients require regular transfusions, finding compatible blood donors can be critical to successful treatment outcomes.

“It matters,” James said. “Even one pint of blood can be the difference between life and death.”

— Nancy DeGennaro ([email protected])