BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- On Saturday, February 3, 2018, the Moravian College women’s basketball team will host its annual Play 4Kay Cancer Awareness Day. The Greyhounds host Elizabethtown College in the Landmark Conference contest. The game is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. after the annual Alumni Game at 11:30 a.m. in Johnston Hall at Moravian College.
“The Play 4Kay game—combined with our annual alumni game—is the feature game on regular season schedule,” commented Head Coach Mary Beth Spirk. “So many of our past and current players and coaches have a deep personal commitment to this cause. Yes, we are proud to lead all NCAA Division III teams in Play 4Kay fundraising but more important for everyone associated with our program is knowing that we are doing our part to help fund research to end this devastating disease. Our Play 4Kay fundraising has become an integral part of the spring semester activities throughout Moravian College and we want to thank everyone at the College for helping us make a difference to others.”
For the past nine years, the Moravian College women's basketball team has been the top leader of the NCAA Division III Kay Yow Cancer Fund Play 4Kay Contest. The Hounds raised over $21,500 in 2017 and are looking to surpass that this year with the generosity of their fans and have a list of upcoming events that are taking place.
In addition to collecting donations at the game versus Elizabethtown, Moravian spends the entire week with efforts for Play 4Kay. The week includes a Pink Zone Clinic in Springfield, New Jersey, on Sunday, February 4, and Pink Office Week as Moravian faculty and staff members are encouraged to wear jeans and pink all week and asked to make a $5 donation for each day they wear pink. The women’s basketball team will also be selling t-shirts and pink rally towels in the HUB all week. The Greyhounds are set to host their annual Pink Zone Clinic in Johnston Hall on Thursday, February 1 with donations accepted to attend the clinic. To register for the clinic, visit http://moraviansports.com/sports/wbkb/2017-18/Play4Kay/clinic/index.
Saturday’s festivities will include Moravian’s annual Alumni game and a reception at The Steel Club (formerly Silver Creek Country Club) after the game. The deadline to register for those events is January 27.
The contest is an effort to reward participating teams in the Play 4Kay who are also raising funds for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund®, in partnership with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) and The V Foundation for Cancer Research. Moravian collected $21,662 in 2017, the top amount from an NCAA Division III school. The Greyhounds were also the top NCAA Division III team in 2016 with $18,520, in 2015 with $17,038, in 2014 with $12,573, in 2013 with $16,210, in 2012 with $12,025, in 2011 with $5,825 and in 2010 at $6,100. The Greyhounds had a total of $5,200 in 2009 to give Moravian a total of $115,153 raised over the last nine years.
In recognition of its on-going work with Play 4Kay, Moravian received National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators/Jostens Community Service Award for on-going projects at the 2015 NCAA Convention and received an honorable mention at the 2017 NCAA Convention.
Make a donation online to Moravian's Play 4Kay Initiative – visit https://support.kayyow.com/
Schedule of events for 2018 Play 4Kay at Moravian College
- Thursday, February 1 - Pink Zone Clinic at Moravian from 6:30-8:00 p.m. – Register at http://moraviansports.com/sports/wbkb/2017-18/Play4Kay/clinic/index
- Monday-Friday, January 29-February 2 - Pink Office Week
- Monday-Friday, January 29-February 2 - T-Shirt Sales in HUB - Short Sleeve is $10 and Long Sleeve is $20
- Saturday, February 3 – Play 4Kay Day along with Alumni Game, 11:30 a.m. in Johnston Hall
- Saturday, February 3 - Alumni, Family & Friends Reception at The Steel Club, 5:00 p.m. – Register at http://moraviansports.com/sports/wbkb/2017-18/play4kayAlumni - Deadline to register is January 27
- Sunday, February 4 - Pink Zone Clinic in Springfield, N.J.
- Monday, February 26 - Chipotle Fundraiser, 1870 Airport Road, Allentown, 5:00-9:00 p.m.
About the Kay Yow Cancer Fund and Play 4Kay Campaign
The Kay Yow Cancer Fund was officially founded on Dec. 3, 2007, from the vision of the organization's namesake Kay Yow, former N.C. State University head women's basketball coach. Coach Yow was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987 before succumbing to the disease on Jan. 24, 2009. The Kay Yow Cancer Fund is a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization committed to being a part of finding an answer in the fight against women's cancers through raising funds for scientific research, assisting the underserved, and unifying people for a common cause. To date, more than $5.38 million has been allocated for women's cancer research. For more information on the Kay Yow Cancer Fund or to make a donation, please visit www.kayyow.com. Follow the Kay Yow Cancer Fund on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram.
