The women’s volleyball team will host Virginia and Virginia Tech this weekend, with the Saturday match against Tech being the team’s annual Dig Pink event in support of breast cancer awareness.
This is the first occurrence of the event following the passing of legendary former women’s basketball coach Kay Yow.
“Especially with losing Kay Yow, who is clearly a big influence on our school, I think it’s a really good way to have everyone involved in a common goal for raising money for cancer research and things like that,” senior defensive specialist Taylor Pritchard said. “It’s not just the athletes getting together and supporting cancer research, it’s our fans, our coaches and everybody coming together and doing that together.”
But the team must first focus on its Friday opponent – Virginia.
“Coach Bunn, one of his big things is taking it game by game and point by point,” Pritchard said. “We’re used to not focusing on the game after the game we haven’t played yet.”
State enters the weekend at 12-9 (2-7 ACC) and with five conference matches to play, is three wins away from its best ACC season since 1999, when it went 5-11 in conference play.
“This is an opportunity for us to win two games at home and it is really exciting that we get to have a Dig Pink match this weekend,” redshirt sophomore setter Megan Cyr said. “It’s going to be a really good game.”
This year’s Dig Pink will also be new to transfers like Cyr.
“I’ve always seen other schools do it,” Cyr said. “I’ve never had the privilege to play for breast cancer awareness before so I’m really excited to get the opportunity to do that, and I’m really excited to see the fan support and play for a cause.”
For Elena Frac, a freshman outside hitter from Cary, the event has additional meaning because of Yow’s battle with cancer.
“Being from around here, Kay Yow was a big deal,” Frac said. “When she was going through [her battle with cancer] I heard everything that was going on. Dig Pink makes me think about her and [the fact that] we’re raising money for people who are fighting just like she did.”
In addition to raising money for breast cancer awareness, Dig Pink gives the players the opportunity to be a little more “girly.”
“Dig Pink is a really fun game because for one, as girls, we get to wear pink, which is always fun,” Pritchard said. “It’s just fun. There’s nothing super different about the game or anything. You still have your competition that you want to win but it’s more of a fun atmosphere to play in.”
But those wondering what specific part of the uniforms will be pink this year will have to wait until Saturday night to find out.
“They’re keeping it a surprise,” Cyr said.
Both Friday’s game against Virginia and Saturday’s Dig Pink match against Virginia Tech will begin at 7 p.m. in Reynold’s Coliseum.
