The V Foundation for Cancer Research and ESPN Hall of Fame Sports Casters Dick Vitale announced the list of sports stars to attend the 16th Annual Dick Vitale Gala at the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota on May 7th to raise awareness to sharpen and support needed to defeat childhood cancer. To date, Vitale has raised $ 37 million for the Children’s Cancer Fund on his behalf with the V Foundation.
This year’s event will honor former University of Notre Dame chief basketball coach Muffet McGraw, University of Florida chief football coach Dan Mullen, Auburn University chief basketball coach Bruce Pearl, and ESPN SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt. Vitale will also recognize Chris Mortensen, Senior NFL Analyst at ESPN, with the V Foundation’s John Saunders Courage Award.
Others to attend the gala include ESPN SportsCenter host Kevin Negandhi; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians; former Notre Dame football coach and sports analyst Lou Holtz; Scott Drew, the Baylor men’s chief basketball coach; professional aerialists, daredevils and acrobats Nik and Erendira Wallenda; ESPN SportsCenter anchor Chris Berman; Sports analyst and former professional basketball player Mike Fratello; Emmy Award-winning Fox 8 newscaster Stefani Schaefer; retired Belmont University basketball coach Rick Byrd; former NFL player Todd Johnson; Basketball hall-of-famer, co-founder of Orlando Magic and former GM Pat Williams of the Philadelphia 76ers; former professional basketball player Marcus Liberty; former San Diego Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Willie Clark; former Baltimore Ravens player Rob Robertson; former American Notre Dame basketball player Gary Brokaw; and ESPN play-by-play commentator Rich Hollenberg.