The 24 Hours of Nothing But Net fundraiser for Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC) is hosted by the University of North Carolina at Asheville. The 24-hour fundraiser is set to begin at 1:15 p.m. on Saturday, May 14. This fundraising initiative is presented by college basketball analyst and former North Carolina State University basketball player Debbie Antonelli.
Three years ago, Antonelli founded 24 Hours of Nothing But Net and has raised $415,000 for Special Olympics Programs since then. Inspired by her middle son and Special Olympics South Carolina athlete Frankie, Antonelli shoots 100 free throws every hour for 24 hours to raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics.
This year, the fundraiser has expanded to six states, including North Carolina. Each state has someone or teams who will be taking on the challenge of shooting 100 free throws each hour for 24 hours. In North Carolina, the event will kick off on the campus of UNC Asheville with a welcome from WLOS News 13 sports anchor Chris Womack, UNC Asheville students and mascot Rocky. Live free-throw shooting will take place from 12 – 6 p.m. and from 8 – 10 p.m., including appearances by former NBA player Johnny Davis, UNC Asheville staff and basketball players. The event will be streamed live on YouTube and Facebook.
Pre-recorded messages will be provided by former Dallas Cowboys player Jason Whitten, former UNC Asheville men’s basketball coach Eddie Biedenbach, current UNC Asheville men’s basketball coach Mike Morrell, and Asheville musician Lyric.
Local SONC athletes will attend the event, with a special appearance from members of the Team SONC soccer team from Buncombe County. The team will be competing in the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando, Florida, June 5-12.
About Special Olympics North Carolina
Since 1968, the organization has used the transformative power of sports to improve the lives of children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Nearly 40,000 athletes in North Carolina inspire thousands of coaches, sports officials, local program committee members and event organizers involved in Special Olympics statewide. SONC offers year-round training and competition in 20 Olympic-type sports on local and state levels as well as health and wellness initiatives to improve the health status and increase access to community health resources for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Youth become agents of change through Unified Champion Schools, an education and sports-based program created by Special Olympics to build an inclusive environment among youth with and without intellectual disabilities as well as empower them to become youth leaders and create change in their community. Engage with us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
