Feb. 17, 2009

For Saturday afternoon, UMass Lowell’s Costello Athletic Center will be known as The Pink Zone.

UMass Lowell’s women and men’s basketball teams will take part in the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s Pink Zone, a nationwide effort to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research, with Saturday’s games against the University of New Haven (women at 2:00, men's at 4:00).

The University is one of 600 colleges and universities to take part in the two-year-old initiative. All proceeds from the game will benefit the Kay Yow WBCA Cancer Fund, named after the former North Carolina State women’s basketball coach who succumbed to breast cancer on Jan. 24 after a 22-year battle with the disease.

Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under and senior citizens.

“We’re looking to raise breast cancer awareness and to raise money for the Kay Yow WBCA Cancer Foundation,” said UML Senior Associate Director of Athletics Joan Lehoullier, who spearheads the Department of Athletics’ community service efforts.

Last year, UMass Lowell’s efforts raised more than $600 for the Susan G. Komen For the Cure Foundation.

“We certainly would like to exceed that on Saturday,” Lehoullier said.

Free UMass Lowell pink t-shirts will be presented to the first 50 fans. Other promotions include several giveaways throughout the game, halftime contests and a silent auction, all of which will benefit the Kay Yow WBCA Cancer Fund.

J.J. Jumper, the official mascot of NCAA Basketball, is scheduled to appear with prizes.

Fans attending the game are encouraged to wear pink in support of the WBCA’s breast cancer initiative. Both UMass Lowell teams, who will be making their final regular season home appearances, will don pink warm-up t-shirts for the game.

Seniors Revital Carmon, Bridgette Hooker, Shaina Berry, Antonnea Robinson and Lindsay Gundy will be honored in a brief ceremony before the women’s tipoff.