By Kristina Dillon

Members of the Mercy College women and men’s basketball team hosted their second annual Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Pink Zone on Feb. 19.

The WBCA Pink Zone is a global unified effort made by the nation of women basketball coaches in assisting breast cancer awareness across college campuses and their surrounding communities.

“It is important to raise money for the cause, but it is just as important to spread the awareness of breast cancer to all of our young women,” said the Director of Athletics Patricia Kennedy.

The WBCA started the Pink Zone in 2007 as an initiative in raising breast cancer awareness and joined together with the NCAA and impelled the “Calling for a Cure” campaign which has since brought in over $930,000.

The game was tipped off with a commemorative pink and white basketball. The Mavericks wore pink socks and sneakers, the referees blew into hot pink whistles, and even a super-fan cheered them on with pink hair.

The women’s team defeated Adelphi, 77-69. The men’s lost, 76-47.

“Something like this (the game) is a great way to spread the cause,” said Kennedy. “It’s right there in front of you.”

The Student Athlete Advisory Committee went into the community in effort to raise funds and donations, for the KayYow/WBCA Cancer Fund. The fund is in honor of the late North Carolina State University head women’s basketball coach Kay Yow.

Yow, who passed away last month, after battling her third bout with breast cancer was also a past president and a founding member of the WBCA.

“SACC did a great job organizing the event and getting the community involved,” said Darryl Bullock, the business manager for the athletic department.

All the proceeds and donations will be added to the funds received March 3 during the carnival games at the Dobbs Ferry campus. The total will be available after that.

“This has been a great game environment,” said Bullock.