EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana women’s basketball team is asking fans to “Paint the PAC Pink” when it hosts the University of Indianapolis Saturday at the Physical Activities Center.
Instead of wearing their traditional white uniforms, the Screaming Eagles will be wearing pink uniforms to participate in the Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association’s “Pink Zone” initiative, a unified effort for the WBCA’s nation of coaches to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities, and beyond.
The WBCA set aside the week of February 12-21 for this year’s initiative, though many schools have participated outside that window due to scheduling conflicts.
“This is the third annual ‘Pink Zone’ initiative,” USI Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach and Senior Women’s Administrator Randa Dallas said. “Kay Yow, the former head coach at North Carolina State University who lost her battle with breast cancer, started to do whatever she could to increase the knowledge of breast cancer and increase funds for research. The WBCA joined her efforts and made it a nation-wide effort at all levels.
“We are trying to use our platform to increase the importance of early detection in our community, within our sport, and to whoever will listen and watch,” Dallas continued.
According to the WBCA, more than 1,600 teams and organizations participated to raise more than $1.3 million in 2009. “This is a cause that touches everyone’s hearts, and it hits all to close to home for our girls, their families, some of our Varsity Club members, and our colleagues,” she said. “So many people are fighting for their lives and it feels great to help them in some way or another.
“I’d like to thank our players’ parents for their donations,” Dallas continued. “Without their support, we would not have such a wonderful ‘pinked out’ atmosphere at the PAC.”
Donning the pink uniforms is USI’s chance to make a difference. “Our team is so excited,” Dallas said. “We’ve got the pink uniforms and we want to wear them all the time. It’s going to mean a lot for us to come out and lace it up in those uniforms and just fight for a lot of the survivors out there.”
USI also will wear its pink uniforms when it hosts Kentucky Wesleyan College next Monday.