College basketball community raises $1.7M for Maui wildfire relief and recovery

The Allstate Maui Invitational, the nation’s early-season college basketball tournament, KemperSports, and the college basketball community have rallied to raise $1.7 million for Maui wildfire relief and recovery efforts. 

This year’s Tournament shifted to SimpliFi Arena at Stan Sheriff Center at the University of Hawai’i on the island of O’ahu while its traditional home court – the Lahaina Civic Center on Maui – serves as a critical hub for recovery efforts. 

Unified fundraising efforts for Maui began in August when KemperSports LIVE, the longtime owner and operator of the Invitational, asked past and current Tournament teams to donate items to its Hoops for ʻOhana online auction, including signed surfboards and game-worn jerseys.

Bolstering this effort through their combined fanbase, Kansas, Illinois, Tennessee, and Michigan State played two preseason charity exhibition games on Oct. 29 to benefit those on the island who were impacted by the wildfires. A

ll proceeds from Hoops for ʻOhana and the two exhibition games will be donated to the Hawai’i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund.

“For 40 years, Maui has been synonymous with college basketball, and the island and its people have become family, sharing a special bond with so many of the game’s best players and coaches,” said KemperSports CEO Steve Skinner. “We’re proud that Tournament teams, partners and fans united around their love and deep appreciation for the people of Maui to help them during their greatest time of need.”

The Allstate Maui Invitational and its partners Hawaiian Airlines, Polynesian Adventure Tours, and OUTRIGGER Resorts & Hotels, brought Maui residents who were impacted by the wildfires – including Lahainaluna High School students and local business owners – to attend the 2023 Tournament. 

The Tournament and its partners funded the trips for the Maui residents, which included roundtrip flights, transportation to and from the arena, and tickets to watch the first two morning games. Lahainaluna basketball players also attended a clinic Sunday hosted by Dave Odom and Pete Gillen and stayed overnight at OUTRIGGER Hotel in Waikīkī. 

Purdue won the 2023 Allstate Maui Invitational after defeating Marquette, Tennessee and Gonzaga. This year’s field was the best in Tournament history, with six teams ranked in the Top 25 of the USA Today Coaches poll, including No. 1 Kansas, No. 2 Purdue, No. 5 Marquette, No. 8 Tennessee, No. 10 Gonzaga and No. 24 UCLA. 

KemperSports LIVE announced that the Tournament plans to return to Maui in 2024.

For more information on this year’s Allstate Maui Invitational, visit mauiinvitational.com.