The rules may have changed, but the purpose of the annual blood collection competition between Cornell and Dartmouth College remains the same: to save lives through the donation of blood.

This year, the competition was based on which school saw the greatest percentage of new donors during its challenge month of April. Cornell won with 50 percent new donors -- defined as someone who has never donated blood or has not donated in the last two years.

In April, 360 units of blood -- 179 from new donors -- were collected at Cornell. According to Gary Colvin, regional life share manager for the New York-Penn Blood Services Region, "a 50 percent new donor rate is almost unheard of."

Dartmouth collected 207 units of blood, 80 from new donors, for a new donor rate of 39 percent.

Since each unit of blood can ultimately be used to help save three hospital patient lives, the Cornell April campaign resulted in 1,080 potential lives saved.

This was the third year that the competition has been held.