Wayne State University Athletics

Pictured (left to right): Lisa Erickson (WSU Head Athletic Trainer), Reka Galfalvy (WSU SAAC member), and James Walejewski (DU Asst. Athletic Trainer).

General 2/10/2026 8:37:00 AM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

WSU Reclaims I-96 Blood Battle Trophy

DETROIT -- During this past Thursday's basketball doubleheader between Wayne State University and Davenport University, the 2026 I-96 Blood Battle trophy was presented to WSU, who won the fourth annual trophy by 47 percentage points over DU. It was the third time in the four years the Warriors had won the blood battle.

Between the two universities, a total of 45 units of blood were collected, meaning up to 135 lives saved by their combined efforts. There has been a critical need for blood across the country due to the severe winter weather and the worst flu season in recent record, and since donation is the only source of lifesaving blood for patients, the importance of blood donation cannot be overstated. People in need count on drives like these to help those suffering from acute or chronic illness, or unexpected trauma such as those that occur during extreme weather events; congratulations to both schools for their tremendous work and dedication to this vitally important effort. Since the inaugural Blood Battle event in 2023, over 200 units of blood have been collected across the two universities, which means over 600 lives saved in our communities.

Wayne State's blood drive on Feb. 4 also boasted a 48% new donor turnout, so a huge shout out to our first-time donors, and a special thanks to Dr. Matthew Dent and the WSU Chemistry Department for their volunteering efforts in making this a successful drive. The I-96 Blood Battle organizers would also like to thank Andiamo's and Henry Ford Health for helping sponsor the event and theme for the corresponding basketball competitions: Sleeveless Night - Flex For A Cause.

New for the 2025-26 competition, WSU also collaborated with the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP - formerly Be The Match), whose goal is expanding the national registry of bone marrow donors, to assist those with blood-based cancers or other disorders. Every 3-to-4 minutes someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with a blood cancer, and donation may be their only chance at a cure. Patients depend on NMDP to find an unrelated donor. This cause is especially important to the sports medicine basketball community due to the recent leukemia diagnosis of longtime Celtics Athletic Trainer Ed Lacerte. Follow the campaign to find a lifesaving blood stem cell match on social media using the tag #Swab4Ed. Interested in joining the donor registry or want to learn more? Visit their website at my.nmdp.org

The I-96 Blood Battle is an annual event, so stay on the lookout for information about the fifth annual competition and consider becoming a blood donor and contributing to this life-saving cause!

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