MEADVILLE, Pa.-- The Allegheny College women's basketball team is set for its 11th annual Play 4Kay games this Friday and Saturday (Feb. 2-3).
On Friday, the Gators will host Wittenberg University at 6 p.m., followed by a 2 p.m. game against ninth-ranked DePauw University Saturday.
The Play 4Kay initiative is an opportunity for a nation of coaches to raise awareness and funds for women's cancer research on the court, across campuses, in communities, and beyond. Since its inception in 2007, Play 4Kay has helped the Kay Yow Cancer Fund support over $5 million in research about the disease as well as other related projects.
"We have participated each year in the Play 4Kay games," said Gator Head Coach
Kate Costanzo. "The team will be warming up in our official Play 4Kay shirts.
"We will also take collections at the door each game to be donated to The Kay Yow Cancer Fund," continued Costanzo. "The Kay Yow Cancer Fund is the charity of choice of the WBCA (Women's Basketball Coaches Association)."
Kay Yow was the head coach for the North Carolina State University women's basketball from 1975 until 2009 and fought breast cancer three different times between 1987 to January 24, 2009, when she sadly passed away from the disease. Yow's vision for the Fund was to raise money and further cutting-edge research conducted by the nation's top doctors and medical experts to allow more and more cancer patients to have access to experimental drugs and clinical trials.
"We have all been touched by someone fighting cancer," concluded Costanzo. "We play the game to honor those who continue to fight cancer and to remember those loved ones who we have lost."
