Batter up, and get ready to strike out breast cancer.

Zeta Tau Alpha's 15th annual philanthropy event will take place 7 p.m. today at the IU Auditorium. Tickets cost $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

The talent show features 39 contestants from 23 fraternities and the Evans Scholars. One contestant is not representing a specific organization, and several of the fraternities have more than one representative. 

Proceeds from the event benefit the NFL Pink Ribbon Project and Dr. Milan Radovich, a breast cancer researcher with the IU School of Medicine. Ellen Wynn, Zeta's co-philanthropy chairman, said this year's goal is to raise $200,000. 

Wynn said Zeta members have worked toward this goal by sending letters to family, friends and businesses, canning around Bloomington and Indianapolis, selling tickets and T-shirts and working with the Indianapolis Colts in a 50/50 raffle. Each contestant and coach also fundraises, and fundraising accounts for 65 percent of his overall score.

That 65 percent fundraising score breaks down into shirt and ticket sales, online donations and attendance at percentage nights, Wynn said. Other factors in the contestants' scores are talent and the banner hanging outside each house. 

The banners are made by members of other sororities. Each contestant has a sorority "coach" who serves as a source of support in the weeks leading up to BMOC and during the event itself.

In addition to banners, the coaches help with contestants' fundraising and talent.

One of this year's contestants is Joe Weber of Theta Chi, who won the title of "Big Man on Campus" last year. 

"I honestly had such an enjoyable experience last year, not just with the event but everything leading up to it," he said. "It made sense to go for it again."

Weber said this year's process has been less stressful, allowing him to better get to know the other contestants and members of Zeta. 

"I've spent less time worrying about how everything will turn out," he said. "I think we're going to put on an awesome show."

Weber said he'll be performing an acoustic guitar medley of a popular artist's songs, similar to the "Miley Cyrus through the ages" medley he performed last year.

Wynn said she is looking forward to watching all the performances and seeing Zeta's efforts come to fruition. 

"We are most looking forward to being with our sisters and enjoying the day we have all worked so hard for all year," Wynn said. "We work day in and day out to try to make pink just a color again and change the lives of women around the world!"