BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (January 21, 2020) – The Southeastern and Big 12 conferences will unite to help bring awareness to the Mike Slive Foundation and its fight against prostate cancer during Big 12/SEC Challenge games on Saturday.
All coaches and support staffs from both conferences will wear a Mike Slive Foundation lapel pin during their games. In addition, SEC coaches in non-Challenge games will wear the pin.
“Mike Slive was one of the most respected and accomplished leaders in the history of college athletics,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said. “As part of his legacy, he created the Mike Slive Foundation to fight prostate cancer and we are proud to partner with the Big 12 Conference to raise awareness of this important cause in Mike’s memory.”
“The Big 12 is proud to join with the SEC in honoring Mike Slive during this Saturday’s Challenge games,” Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said. “Mike left a lasting legacy in college athletics as well as in the fight against prostate cancer. The Conference joins with so many others in supporting this important endeavor of eradicating cancer.”
The Mike Slive Foundation was created by Slive following his retirement from the SEC in 2015. Inspired by his own fight with prostate cancer, he created the foundation to become a global leader in the fight to eradicate prostate cancer through public awareness and research funding.
Slive served as commissioner of the SEC from 2002 until his retirement in 2015. He led the adoption of a new and effective league-wide NCAA compliance initiative, engineered landmark television contracts, including the launch of the SEC Network, and guided the conference through expansion while the conference enjoyed unprecedented championship success under his leadership. Prior to joining the SEC, Slive served as commissioner of Conference USA from 1995-2002 and the Great Midwest Conference from 1991-95.
Learn more about the Mike Slive Foundation: https://mikeslivefoundation.org