University of Hawai'i men's basketball head coach Eran Ganot is this year's recipient of the Coaches vs Cancer Champion Award by the American Cancer Society. The Champion Award, which honors coaches who have shown extraordinary leadership and commitment in the fight against cancer, will be presented to Ganot during the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Welcome Reception on Friday at the Final Four in Phoenix.

"We're so thrilled to honor Coach Ganot with the Champion Award which recognizes leaders who truly give of themselves in supporting the fight against cancer," said Maria Olson, senior vice president, American Cancer Society California Guam Hawaiʻi Division. "Coach Ganot has been an outstanding ambassador for the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Honolulu, helping ensure more patients are aware of, and able to access, free lodging. This is critical for patients from throughout the Hawaiian Islands and across the Pacific."

For the last seven years, Ganot has been a member of the NABC's Coaches vs. Cancer Council, one of a select group of coaches nationally serving on the board to guide, enhance, and expand the program's reach. Since then, he has hosted an annual fundraiser in Honolulu in conjunction with the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.

"When we thought about what's the best way to fight cancer here in Hawaiʻi, it was like a eureka moment," Ganot said. "We host one of the great tournaments in the country every year. We can raise a lot of awareness and funds."

In the last two years alone, Coach Ganot has helped raise more than $100,000 through his Coaches vs. Cancer events. Funds raised support the American Cancer Societyʻs Clarence T.C. Ching Hope Lodge in Honolulu, which provides free lodging for patients from throughout the Pacific who must travel to Oʻahu for their cancer treatment. In 2023, Hope Lodge Hawaiʻi provided 8,284 nights of free lodging, saving patients nearly $1M in lodging costs and alleviating a tremendous amount of stress for families dealing with medical costs and other stressors.

Coaches vs. Cancer is a collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the NABC that empowers coaches, their teams, and communities to join in saving more lives. The program leverages the personal experiences, community leadership, and professional excellence of basketball coaches nationwide to increase cancer awareness and promote healthy living through year-round awareness efforts, fundraising activities, and advocacy programs.
 
The Champion Award was instituted in 1996, with former Missouri Coach Norm Stewart receiving the inaugural honor. Since that time, the award has been presented to head coaches nationally including the likes of Jim Boeheim, Roy Williams, Tom Izzo, Bill Self, and former UH head coach Riley Wallace.