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UC and Xavier Students Rally in Crosstown Food Out to Boost Local Food Pantry

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Thursday, December 4th 2025 at 23:05 GMT by Local 12 WKRC Cincinnati

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University of Cincinnati and Xavier Students Unite for Crosstown Food Out Competition

In a heart‑warming display of sportsmanship that defied long‑standing rivalry, students from the University of Cincinnati (UC) and Xavier University gathered on Saturday for a charitable “Crosstown Food Out” competition. The event, hosted by the local nonprofit Bearcats Pantry and the nearby Store Good Cause chain, combined a friendly basketball shoot‑out with an intensive food‑drive, raising both funds and community goodwill.

A Rivalry Reimagined

For decades, the UC Bearcats and Xavier Musketeers have dominated the Midwest’s collegiate sports scene. The two schools, located less than 30 miles apart, have a storied rivalry in football, basketball, and almost every other sport. But that Saturday, the competitive tension was replaced by a shared mission: to support those in need in the Cincinnati and Norwood‑Clifton neighborhoods.

“We’re here as students first and athletes second,” said Jordan McConnell, a senior guard for the UC men's basketball team. “It’s a chance to show that we can work together for a good cause.” Xavier’s Emily Torres, a senior forward, echoed the sentiment, noting that the event “helped us see the real benefit of teamwork beyond the court.”

The two teams—UC’s Bearcats and Xavier’s Musketeers—were split into mixed squads for the basketball portion of the day. Instead of a head‑to‑head match, they played a series of three‑point shoot‑outs, each point representing a donation to the pantry.

The Food Out Drive

The “Food Out” aspect of the event was designed to collect non‑perishable food items and hygiene supplies for the Bearcats Pantry, a local food‑bank that serves over 8,000 families each year. Students, faculty, and local residents lined up at the Cincinnati Civic Center to drop off canned goods, dry pasta, baby formula, and personal care items such as soap, toothpaste, and diapers.

The Store Good Cause chain—known for its “Buy One, Give One” program—partnered by offering a 20% discount on all hygiene products purchased on the day of the event. The store’s manager, Lara Jenkins, said the collaboration “demonstrated how local businesses can amplify community impact.”

By the end of the day, more than 2,500 pounds of food and 3,000 hygiene items had been collected. According to Bearcats Pantry Director Marcus Whitaker, the donation “will cover a month’s worth of groceries for the families that rely on us.” The pantry’s website lists the upcoming distribution dates, encouraging families to sign up for free grocery lists.

Beyond the Court: A Model for Community Engagement

The event’s organizers, a student‑run group called Crosstown Unity, framed the day as a model for how campus rivalry can be transformed into community partnership. “We’ve seen that students are most motivated when they’re working towards a shared goal,” said Crosstown Unity president Lydia Chan. “This isn’t just about a basketball game; it’s about showing the city that we’re all in this together.”

The event also featured a “Donor Dash,” a relay in which participants carried bags of food across a short track. Teams from both schools competed for the fastest time, and the winning team was awarded a donation to a charity of their choice—chosen in this case to be The Humane Society of Cincinnati.

Notably, the day’s festivities included an “Eat‑and‑Meet” food truck fair, where local vendors offered free samples of healthy snacks. The fair, organized by the Cincinnati Food Collective, highlighted the importance of nutrition education for high‑school students in the region.

Impact and Next Steps

The combined efforts of the two universities, local businesses, and community volunteers set a new precedent for collaborative philanthropy in the area. While the event was a one‑time celebration, several participants expressed interest in making it an annual fixture.

“Imagine doing this every fall,” suggested UC student‑athlete Anthony Ramirez. “We can keep building bridges and help more people.”

Bearcats Pantry’s director, Marcus Whitaker, confirmed that the organization will begin distributing the collected items next week and plans to feature the event’s story on their social media channels to raise further awareness.

The Store Good Cause chain announced that it will continue to match all food‑drive donations for the next two months, providing a matching grant of up to $5,000 for the pantry. This initiative has already attracted interest from other regional retailers.

A Legacy of Unity

The Crosstown Food Out competition exemplified how collegiate rivalries can be reframed as cooperative endeavors that benefit the wider community. Through a blend of athletic competition and charitable giving, UC and Xavier students demonstrated that sports can serve as a catalyst for positive social change.

In a city where the lines between Bearcats and Musketeers have long been drawn, Saturday’s event carved a new narrative: one where teammates become allies, and competitors become collaborators in the pursuit of a common good.