February 14, 2008

Yellowjackets Set for “Think Pink” Saturday

BILLINGS, Mont. – Before taking the court to host Seattle University on Feb. 16 at 5 p.m., Montana State Billings women’s basketball players will trade their navy blue and gold for symbolic pink.

They ask their fans to do the same.

The game is MSUB’s first Think Pink event, part of a global effort through the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) to help raise breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses and in communities across the nation.

MSUB and the Eva Project have teamed together in support of the WBCA’s “Think Pink” initiative.

“The Eva project was started by a wonderful women in our community who was diagnosed with breast cancer through a mammogram at the age of 48,” said Lynn Carter, Community Relations for St. Vincent Healthcare.  “She had no family history of breast cancer, but with the early detection through a mammogram her cancer was identified and treated successfully.  She now is giving something back as the Eva Project is a special effort to give free screening mammograms to women who would not be otherwise able to have one.”  

On Saturday, Yellowjacket coaches, cheerleaders and event staff will wear pink, and players will warm-up in pink T-shirts as well as wear pink shoelaces.  The first 100 women in attendance will receive a pink T-shirt and attendance is free to women from 4-5 p.m. 

About 40 breast cancer survivors from the Billings area have been given a ticket to the game by the Eva Project and will sit in the Coaches’ Row chairs on the opposite side of the benches.  They will be presented with “Think Pink” T-shirts and will be honored at halftime. 

The WBCA nation of coaches established Think Pink in 2007, asking women’s basketball programs across the country to promote breast cancer awareness during a designated Think Pink Week.

From last year’s inaugural participation from 120 schools, more than 600—including MSUB—have committed to events during this year’s Think Pink observance, Feb. 8-17.

All fans in attendance are encouraged to wear “pink” to support the cause.