Springfield, Ohio — When the Wittenberg University women's basketball team hosts North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) rival Ohio Wesleyan at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13, the Tigers will be playing for more than just a shot at the 2008 regular season championship.
The game is part of Wittenberg's Think Pink Night, a breast cancer awareness event sponsored by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). While paying tribute to former head coach Pam Evans Smith, for whom the arena in the university's HPER Center was recently named, the event will honor all those who have been touched personally by breast cancer.
"We are fortunate to have a powerful organization like the WBCA to drive the Think Pink program nationwide," said Wittenberg Head Coach Sarah Jurewicz. "With our collective experience with Coach Smith here at Wittenberg, we are honored to host this event and celebrate the many women who have survived breast cancer."
Approximately 120 colleges and universities hosted Think Pink events through the WBCA in the first year of the program (the 2006-07 season). This year, that number has exploded to more than 600 schools across the nation.
Breast cancer survivors will be recognized during a special halftime ceremony. In addition, Think Pink T-shirts will be sold throughout the event, and a breast cancer awareness information table will offer literature.
All gate receipts from the game will be donated to Wittenberg's Pam Evans Smith Memorial Fund, which was created one month after the women's basketball coach with the most wins and highest winning percentage in NCAC history passed away after a long bout with cancer. The scholarship will be awarded annually to deserving female senior students who demonstrate leadership and academic abilities.
Smith compiled a 401-170 overall record in 21 seasons as the Tigers' head coach. She amassed twelve 20-win seasons, 11 regular season NCAC championships, and eight NCAA Division III Tournament appearances.
The 2007-08 edition of the Wittenberg women's basketball team stands 9-8 overall and 8-2 in the NCAC with six regular season games remaining. The Tigers enter tonight's game at league-leading Kenyon in second place after a 67-35 win over Wooster on Feb. 2.
Written By: Ryan Maurer
009-08