General

Greensboro Repeats as Cans Across the Conference Champions

The USA South Athletic Conference's 20th annual Cans Across The Conference food drive competition has concluded. Since classes began this fall until November 21st, USA South member institutions participated in the community service competition. Each campus Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) collected cans and other non-perishable items to benefit a local charity of their choosing. The institution with the most items collected is crowned the Cans Across the Conference Champion. 

With a grand total of 7,291, Greensboro College is the Cans Across the Conference Champion for 2024. The Pride have claimed victory for the second consecutive year and the fourth time in the competition's history (2005, 2007, 2023). Methodist University collected 5,630 items to finish second while Meredith College's 5,418 items rounded out the top-three.

Overall, the USA South institutions collected 23,829 items this fall, 5,586 more than a year ago. On average, League institutions donated 2,383 items per institution which is the tenth-highest output in the competition's history. Over the 20-year history of the program, USA South institutions have donated 659,599 items to various local organizations.

Individually, five institutions, consisting of Greensboro, Mary Baldwin, Meredith, Methodist, and Southern Virginia, improved on their collection amounts from a year ago. Additionally, of those schools, Greensboro, Meredith, and Southern Virginia set new single-year institutional records. Finally, Greensboro has improved its collection each of the last seven years, Meredith has done so the last four years, while both Mary Baldwin and Methodist improvements have spanned the past three years.

Below is a list of the local organizations where the USA South institutions donated their collections: 

  • Greensboro College: Split between the College's on-campus Pride Pantry, Western North Carolina recovery efforts, and Backpack Beginnings.
  • Mary Baldwin University: Blue Ridge Area Food Bank in Verona, Virginia.
  • Meredith College: Split between Western North Carolina recovery efforts and the Raleigh, North Carolina Salvation Army.
  • Methodist University: Split between the University's on-campus "Food Lion Feeds" pantry, Western North Carolina recovery efforts, and the Army Thanksgiving Relief Program.
  • N.C. Wesleyan College: The Rocky Mount, North Carolina Salvation Army.
  • Pfeiffer University: Stanly Community Christian Ministry in Albemarle, North Carolina.
  • Southern Virginia: The "Bridge To Hope" food pantry in Buena Vista, Virginia.
  • William Peace University: The University's on-campus "Pacer Pantry".