The York Lions women’s basketball team showed their support for breast cancer research in a fundraising exhibition game on Oct. 3. The event was a win-win night for the York Lions and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF).
Right: The York Lions showed their support for breast cancer research in a fundraising exhibition game. Photograph by Rita Abiog.
The Lions and the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks raised $2,410 for the CBCF in an exhibition game Wednesday before a capacity crowd at St. Joan of Arc High School in Barrie, Ont. It turned out to be an outstanding night for the defending Ontario University Athletics champion Lions, who opened their pre-season with a 71 to 43 win over Laurier.
The game was part of a CBCF fundraising effort by the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). To date, over 30 CIS women’s basketball programs have jumped on board and will raise money through regular season home games, exhibition tournaments or other special projects.
In Barrie, the Golden Hawks used pink uniforms while the Lions coaching staff wore pink in support of breast cancer research. York Lions player Brenan Rurak, a native of nearby Holland Landing, Ont., led the Lions with 13 points, while teammate Emily Van Hoof chipped in with 12 for the Lions.
The WBCA plans to announce the grand total of all money raised at the CIS championship in Saskatoon, Sask., in March. The initiative was the brainchild of Bishop’s University head coach Rod Gilpin.