Mercury's "Coach Mia" Creates National Awareness for Be the Match During Championship Run

PHOENIX– The Phoenix Mercury’s 2014 season will be remembered as one of the best WNBA seasons in history, not only because records were broken and a third championship was won, but also because of the team’s honorary assistant coach, Coach Mia, who helped to bring national awareness to Be the Match, the nation’s largest bone marrow registry.

 More than 200 donors were added to the bone marrow registry at the team’s two Be the Match drives.  Typically, drives generate less than 50 donor registrations.  In addition, Mercury fans showed their support for Coach Mia and Be the Match by donating an additional $1,200 to the team’s $3,000 contribution to Be the Match, all in hopes of finding a bone marrow donor for Mia and others like her. 

“The Phoenix Mercury are thrilled that the ‘signing’ of Coach Mia not only brought inspiration to the players on our team, but also to the community,” said Mercury general manager Jim Pitman.  “The overwhelming support we received from our fans, the community and the media was beyond anything we could have imagined. Having Coach Mia a part of this special season adds to the joy of winning the 2014 WNBA Championship.”

Mia’s story also generated local and national attention from outlets such as USA Today, ESPN and SIKids (Sports Illustrated Kids).

 “The love that the Phoenix Mercury, this city and the nation has shown to Mia and Be The Match is indescribable,” said Aubrie Vargas, community engagement account executive for Be the Match. “By adding donors to the registry, as well as raising money and awareness, we can and will save lives.”

Be the Match will know if any donors from the Phoenix Mercury’s Be the Match drives are matches once all testing is completed, which is a six week process.