BATON ROUGE — The LSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee raised over $4,100 during a talent show it sponsored on Friday to benefit the Robyn DesOrmeaux donation fund.
The money was raised through ticket sales topping 900 and through individual donations. The LSU CHAMPS/Life Skills office and all Louisiana Bank One locations are still taking donations to help offset the extraordinary expenses associated with cancer treatment for DesOrmeaux.
A goalkeeper on the women’s soccer team, DesOrmeaux was recently diagnosed with sarcoma, a rare form of malignant cancer. She completed her senior season last fall after starting in 50 of the Tigers’ 53 games in her career. In 2003 she was chosen the team’s defensive MVP and named to the All-Louisiana soccer team. Currently undergoing chemotherapy at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston, she will later need surgery to remove the cancerous tumor.
Student-athletes from many of LSU’s 20 varsity sports competed in the event, which was judged by celebrity guests Michael Cauble from WBRZ-TV, Jacques Doucet from WAFV-TV, LSU Associate Athletic Director Chris Howard and LSU Academic Center Director Roger Grooters.
The women’s soccer team won the event after advancing to the finals against gymnast Lisa Rennie. Other acts included rap performances by football player Marlon Favorite and gymnast April Burkholder, singing by football player Steve Mares, dancing by several members of the swimming team and head women’s tennis coach Tony Minnis and a Tiger Woods-type golf ball bouncing performance by the men’s golf team.