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Women's basketball to host 'Hoops for Hope' breast cancer awareness game on Jan. 25

by Lissie Craig

Willimantic, CT (01/14/2025) — Eastern Connecticut State University's Women's Basketball team will host its annual Breast Cancer Awareness Game on Jan. 25 at 3 p.m. against UMass Boston. As part of the "Hoops for Hope" campaign in partnership with the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the event aims to honor and support women impacted by breast cancer.

"Breast cancer affects one out of eight women, so we must continue to raise awareness and funds to find better treatments and a cure," said head coach Denise Bierly. "It has directly affected almost every member of our team in some way and we want the women in our basketball program to be educated about their own health and to learn to pay it forward in life."

According to Bierly, approximately 30 women who have had breast cancer or are currently fighting breast cancer will attending the game and be commemorated after the final buzzer. "We are honoring them after the game by having them come to center court to be recognized so they can feel loved and supported for their fight."

The team hopes to raise $5,000 for its "Hoops for Hope" campaign to benefit Susan G. Komen, the world's largest breast cancer organization. Supporters can donate online at: https://secure.info-komen.org/site/TR/DIYFundraising/General?px=26562719&pg=personal&fr_id=10374

Contributors who donate $20 or more can request a commemorative t-shirt. Game attendees are also encouraged to attend the game with family and friends and to wear pink in solidarity with breast cancer fighters.

"We would love to have the stands packed and make them feel the Eastern love," said Bierly.

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 25 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024-25 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 15 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

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Breast cancer survivors and fighters are recognized during last year's awareness basketball game.

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