BEVERLY, Mass. – From late October to November 28,  the Endicott men's lacrosse program will be participating in the HEADstrong Foundation's Lacrosse Mustache Madness initiative, which is an online fundraising campaign encouraging student-athletes to toss their razors and grow their mustaches to raise funds to support families overcome by cancer.

In 2020, Endicott raised $21,260 to aid the HEADstrong Foundation in establishing a new fundraising record totaling over $440,000.

The Gulls did so behind the motivation to support one of their own, Will Levine (Southborough, Mass.) who was diagnosed with Large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma last year.

With that in mind, the Gulls were determined to be the top fundraising team in the entire country, and they did just that, to help out a fellow teammate and other families in need.

As of now, the Endicott men's lacrosse program has raised over $9,000 and currently sits in seventh place among all lacrosse programs participating in the fundraiser. The HEADstrong foundation's goal is to raise $500,000 and are halfway there to that initiative with more than a month to go.

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Lacrosse Mustache Madness was created by former professional lacrosse player and UVA standout Ken Clausen, who was inspired to use his own facial hair to honor HEADstrong founder Nicholas "HEAD" Colleluori, an NCAA lacrosse player from Hofstra University who was terminally diagnosed with cancer in 2005. Colleluori's public fight from the sidelines captivated the nation and from his hospital bed, he created an organization focused on empowering student-athletes to improve lives affected by the disease. After enduring 14-months of treatment, Colleluori tossed his razor and grew a mustache in the last weeks of his life as an emotional buffer due to his declining physical appearance. In an uncontrollable situation, Colleluori's mustache was a positive buffer and conversation starter which was also a way for him to feel "normal" again.

Proceeds from the campaign aid families overcome by cancer and underwrite nights at Nick's House, a guest family home operated by the HEADstrong Foundation for families forced to travel in the pursuit of advanced cancer treatment and clinical trials.  

Learn more about how you can use your mustache and facial hair to improve lives affected by cancer at www.LaxStacheMadness.com or www.HEADstrong.org. 

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(Photo Credit- David Le '10)