NCAA Press Release Archive

« back to archive | Back to NCAA.org

NCAA and American Cancer Society Present Third Annual Strikeout Cancer Night at Women's College World Series

For Immediate Release

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Contact(s)

Cameron Schuh
Associate Director of Public and Media Relations
317/917-6117


INDIANAPOLIS – For the third consecutive year, the NCAA is teaming with the American Cancer Society and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) to support the “StrikeOut Cancer” initiative. The StrikeOut Cancer Night will take place on Monday, June 6, during Game 1 of the Championship Series of the 2011 NCAA Women’s College World Series at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla.

As part of the initiative, the NCAA will donate one dollar for every ticket sold that evening, with the proceeds directed to the Oklahoma Region of the American Cancer Society. The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by Abby Burns, a softball student-athlete from the Texas Woman’s University who is currently undergoing treatment for leukemia. Laura Berg, a Los Angeles Police Officer and four-time softball All-American and national champion on the 1998 Fresno State team, as well as softball’s only four-time Olympian, will catch the first pitch.

Additional activities include a cancer survivors celebration walk in the outfield during the third-inning, led by softball Olympians and NCAA Divisions I, II and III NFCA Hall of Fame Coaches; an on-field presentation by the NCAA and former softball Olympian Dr. Dot Richardson to the Oklahoma Region of the American Cancer Society during the fourth-inning; and Howie Jackson, a cancer survivor and local Hero of Hope for Western Oklahoma, leading the singing of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the fifth-inning of the game.

“Lending support to the Oklahoma Region of the American Cancer Society has become an integral part of the NCAA Women’s College World Series, and we are proud to continue this relationship,” said Sharon Cessna, NCAA director of championships.

“We are proud to partner with the NCAA on the StrikeOut Cancer Night,” said Lesa Foster, regional vice president for the American Cancer Society. “Through this initiative, supporters in our community are able to help the Society create a world with less cancer and more birthdays by helping people stay well, get well, finding cures and fighting back.”

Spectators attending the game are encouraged to wear pink in support of “StrikeOut Cancer.” The game will be televised live on ESPN2 HD at 8 p.m. Eastern.

For more information on the NCAA Women’s College World Series, log on to www.ncaa.com/wcws.

 

About the NCAA

The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports.  Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes.

 

About The American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

About the StrikeOut Cancer Program

The StrikeOut Cancer program is an initiative of the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and the American Cancer Society to help fight cancer by leveraging the personal experiences community leadership and professional excellence of Fastpitch softball coaches nationwide. Coaches across the country work to increase cancer education and promote healthy living through awareness efforts, fundraising activities and advocacy programs. StrikeOut Cancer provides critical mission outreach, while raising funds in sport of the Society’s lifesaving efforts to eliminate cancer as a life threatening disease. To learn more about the program, visit http://nfca.org/cancer/.

 

-30-