BOLIVAR, Mo. -- Wednesday's SBU Blood Drive was a record-breaker, as 213 pints of blood were collected, shattering the previous best of 188 pints. Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO) conducted the drive and SBU football hosted the event, which featured participation from the SBU students, faculty and staff and Bolivar community.

Last year, in the first annual Community Blood Center of the Ozarks Gridiron Battle for Blood, the SBU football Bearcats took home the traveling trophy with 98.1% participation by their team and coaches.

"This year CBCO struggled finding opponents for the Gridiron Battle for Blood so Stephanie Zucchini of CBCO asked if the football team would host the SBU Blood Drive in April," said SBU head football coach Keith Allen. "We accepted the challenge and told our team if we can't find an opponent to beat in the blood drive, we'll just beat the school record and that's what these kids did. We challenged them to donate and encourage their friends to donate as well. We talk to our kids all the time about being Christian leaders, giving back to the community and also winning in everything they do on and off the field. Yesterday was a great example of our kids 'walking their talk' and I was very impressed and honored with their efforts."

"As in any victory, there are many people that contribute to the success of the event. We had great participation and support from the SBU student body, faculty, staff and especially the other sports (coaches and their players). The SBU campus was awesome with their support. Linda Marshall did a great job of promoting the blood drive to the Bolivar community and had a great turnout."

Since 1995, Community Blood Center of the Ozarks has met the transfusion needs of patients throughout the Ozarks. Each day, it takes 275 blood donations to meet the needs of patients in thirty-six hospitals supplied by CBCO.

Hospitals in thirty-eight counties of southwest Missouri, northwest Arkansas and southeast Kansas rely on Community Blood Center of the Ozarks donors. All blood and blood products transfused to patients in these hospitals come from donors.

For more on the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks, visit www.cbco.org.