At the “Dunks for Darden” 3v3 fundraiser tournament, the sounds of basketball and community echoed through the Williams-Brice gym at Coastal Carolina University.
Every basket, every cheer, and every moment meant something much more than who won or lost.
The basketball tournament started in 2023 as a fundraiser for Gib Darden, a longtime professor and associate dean in the kinesiology department, who was recently been diagnosed with leukemia. Now in its second year, Dunks for Darden evolved into a powerful symbol of what can happen when a community comes together for a cause.
The fundraiser began when Megan Dzurenda— a Coastal Carolina alumna, lecturer for the HTC honors college and RISE center coordinator— deeply felt the impact of Darden’s diagnosis. As a former student she felt her life had been shaped by Darden’s leadership, both inside and outside the classroom.
“When I heard he was sick, it hit me hard,” Dzurenda said. “Darden was my professor, but he also felt like a coach, a mentor, even like a second dad. He’s the kind of person who leads without needing to be loud. People just feel his presence.”
Dzurenda launched Coastal Collegiate Changemakers in 2023, a student leadership and service group designed to give college students hands-on opportunities to create real change. She saw a gap in service programs where high schoolers and professionals had their spaces, but there was nothing built for college students.
“We wanted to do two major service projects each year, one on campus and one for the community,” she said. “When we learned about Darden’s diagnosis, we knew this had to be our campus project.”
And so, Dunks for Darden was born. A campus wide event where students come together to play for a purpose: Support Darden and raise awareness for cancer.
“We knew he loved basketball. He’s been in Williams-Brice for decades. It just made sense,” Dzurenda said.
The first tournament was a massive success. With over 200 attendees, the group raised more than $35,000 to help with Darden’s cancer treatment. A March Madness bracket, and a campus-wide card writing campaign, where students wrote uplifting messages to be delivered to his hospital room which also supported him through treatment.
The event returned with the same level of energy and emotion, with almost double the initial turnout. Students packed Williams-Brice gym to cheer on their classmates, not just for their skills on the court, but for stepping up to support something meaningful.
Among the players was Zach Kohler, a freshman sustainability major, who joined the tournament for personal reasons.
“I came out today to support everybody with cancer,” Kohler said. “It’s personal; my mom had cancer, so I know what it’s like. This is for her, too. And it’s for everyone going through it.”
That energy is exactly what Darden hoped to see when he arrived in person this year. A powerful moment, considering he could not attend last year’s event while undergoing treatment.
“It’s very special,” he said, looking around the gym. “The fact my name is on it means less than what the event stands for. It’s about people coming together to help others whether they have leukemia like me or another illness. That’s what matters.”
He watched videos and received photos of last year’s tournament from his hospital bed. Seeing it in person this time around was a full-circle moment.
“I’m just honored to be part of it. I think it’s something that can keep growing,” Darden said. “It doesn’t even need to be called Dunks for Darden every year it could be for anyone. There’s real potential here to do good.”
The fundraiser was about more than money; it was about honoring a man who, over 30 years, helped shape the hearts and minds of hundreds of students. It was about showing love when it mattered most.
“He’s one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met. He taught us that you don’t need to be loud to lead you just need to show up with integrity, with care, and with consistency,” Dzurenda said.
As the final games wrapped up and teams walked off the court, there were no championship rings, no national TV coverage. Something arguably more valuable: A gym full of people who chose to show up for each other.
“You can win all kinds of trophies and championships,” Darden said, “but at the end of the day, it’s the relationships and people that matter most. That’s what I hope this tournament continues to teach.”
Dunks for Darden has become a Coastal tradition. Even in a world full of challenges, people will always come together, sometimes with a basketball in hand.
