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Pearce, a senior captain of the basketball team, will compete at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, according to a SUNY Purchase spokeswoman.
Pearce is one of eight men's college basketball players selected for the event that will air live on ESPN2 at 8 p.m.
He was invited to take part in the Slam Dunk Championship after being recognized as one of the nation's finest slam dunk performers by winning the State Farm Dark Horse Dunker online fan vote.
A total of 370,596 people voted in the contest that helped send Pearce to the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships.
Pearce is more than a slam dunker, according to college officials. The economic major is also the founder of a startup organization called Flynance, which will help young athletes navigate the complex world of collegiate and professional sports while learning basic economics.
He recently won a $5,000 award along with his co-founder and fellow economics major, Derick Ansah ’17. The two plan to officially launch their company this summer.
Pearce said, “We identified a major problem in sports culture. There is a consistent pattern of student athletes who suffer career ending injuries or graduate from an institution with no guidance on what to do next. The Flynance program will directly address this lack of preparation.”
Intersport, produces Thursday's event, which showcases the dunking and sharp-shooting talents of the nation's top college basketball players.
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