October 7, 2009 – Athletics

Ohio Wesleyan volleyball coach Cynthia Holliday (center) discusses strategy during a timeout in Tuesday’s match against Denison. Both teams wore special uniforms during the match as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Photo courtesy of OWU’s Office of Marketing and Communication

OWU, NCAC Teams Fight Breast Cancer
Games to benefit Susan G. Komen Foundation

Ohio Wesleyan women’s athletic teams are joining forces with North Coast Athletic Conference rivals to fight the common opponent of breast cancer.

The volleyball, field hockey, and soccer teams are raising money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer foundation at certain NCAC games this fall. In addition to accepting donations to the foundation in lieu of admission, and selling pink t-shirts designed by the Outer Layer in downtown Delaware, the teams are wearing special jerseys for the games.

Cynthia Holliday, the senior women’s administrator and volleyball coach, said her team played in a few games last year to benefit breast cancer awareness and she wanted to implement a similar program here.

“Last year the volleyball team played at Earlham and Wooster for this type of event,” Holliday said. “I wanted to bring this excitement to our campus.”

The volleyball team played Denison on Tuesday. Both teams wore special pink and black jerseys, and a woman from Grady Hospital brought a display about breast cancer to the match. Holliday said her PE 495 class put on a promotional event during the match and raffled off some items.

The field hockey team plays Denison at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Holliday said they will be wearing similar jerseys, and that some Denison and OWU parents ordered the special shirts from the Outer Layer.

The women’s soccer team plays Hiram on October 14 and will be wearing special warm-up shirts. Holliday said Hiram invited a breast cancer survivor to travel with them and sit on their bench.

“I just wanted to try and start something on our campus for all of our sports,” Holliday said. “Women’s basketball does something, “Hoops for Hope,” but I wanted to try and do more. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and if the National Football League, the toughest league of all sport, is having their male tough guys wear pink cleats, gloves, and even have pink ribbons on their helmets, why can’t OWU do something?”

– Michelle Rotuno-Johnson ’12