The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
"Think Pink" to stamp out breast cancer at Erwin Center tonight
02.13.2008 | Women's Basketball
AUSTIN, Texas -- Fans are asked to wear pink on Wednesday night for a great cause when Texas women's basketball hosts Baylor in a Big 12 showdown at the Frank Erwin Center. The game is "Think Pink/Pack the House" night.
The "Think Pink" campaign is a nation-wide initiative, coordinated by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), to raise breast cancer awareness and research funds.
The rise in the incidence of breast cancer is no secret -- one out of seven women has been or will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
Over 900 women's basketball teams across all divisions -- plus many other collegiate men's and women's teams from other sports -- have joined the initiative as well.
All fans wearing pink to the Texas-Baylor game can purchase a general admission ticket for $6. Texas Athletics has produced educational slides and vignettes featuring coaches and players for display on the in-arena video board during the game. In addition, relevant educational materials will be distributed in Sections 29 and 44.
Collegiate women's basketball is no stranger to the disease. Many recall North Carolina State head coach Kay Yow being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987, and her battle through two subsequent recurrences. To this day, she is fighting the disease while continuing to coach from the N.C. State sidelines.
UT's own Edna Campbell, former Longhorn standout guard, was diagnosed with breast cancer while playing in the WNBA. She successfully fought the disease and was able to return, triumphantly, to the court. The 5' 8" guard was a star player for the Sacramento Monarchs, and the breast cancer survivor became the WNBA's national spokesperson for its anti-cancer efforts with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. During the 2006 WNBA season, which honored 10 years of league existence, Campbell's successful return from breast cancer was nominated by fans as "most inspirational WNBA moment" and one of the top four WNBA Anniversary decade moments.
In 2000, Harvard head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer. More recently, in July 2007 Robin Roberts, co-anchor of ABC's Good Morning America and former standout basketball player at Southeastern Louisiana State, was diagnosed with breast cancer. There are countless other stories like these.
