Rocky Mount, N.C. - On Wednesday, February 18th, the North Carolina Wesleyan men's and women's basketball teams will show their support of the 2015 Play 4Kay campaign when the Battling Bishops take the court versus USA South rival Methodist University. In lieu of admission, fans are asked to donate to the USA South's Pennies for a Purpose campaign that recently kicked off across the league's 13 campuses. While the conference's annual drive runs through April 2nd, all of Wednesday's donations will be designated for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
The 2015 Play 4Kay initiative is an opportunity for a nation of coaches to raise breast cancer awareness and funds for research on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond. Since its inception in 2007, the Play 4Kay initiative has raised over $3.8 million to support women's cancer research.
Coach Kay Yow, former North Carolina State University head women's basketball coach, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 and passed away on January 24, 2009 after facing her third bout with the disease. With the creation of the Fund, Coach Yow hoped to raise money to further cutting-edge research conducted by the nation's top doctors and medical experts.
The Play 4Kay doubleheader will serve as the Bishops' first collection event in support of the USA South's Pennies for a Purpose campaign. The league's Student-Athlete Advisory Committees developed the initiative in 2008 to encourage members to collect loose change during the spring semester which would then be donated to the organization of their choosing. Though Wednesday's donations will be designated for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, the Battling Bishops have elected to donate future collections this spring to the American Cancer Society.
Wednesday will also serve as Senior Night for both our Wesleyan squads, and the Bishops will be honoring their senior classes prior to tip-off with the Monarchs. The men are slated for a 5:30pm start, followed by the women, who will sporting their pink uniforms, at 7:30pm in Everett Gymnasium. In addition to making monetary donations, fans are encouraged to wear pink attire in honor of this event.