Coale Presents Gift to CAC

April 30, 2008

NORMAN, Okla. -- University of Oklahoma head women's basketball coach Sherri Coale honored her promise to OU students Wednesday, April 30, when she presented a $2,000 personal donation to the university's Campus Activities Council (CAC).

In February, Coale challenged OU's students by promising to make equal donations to CAC and the Kay Yow/Women's Basketball Coach Association (WBCA) Cancer Fund for every student in attendance at her team's final three home games.

"It's an honor and a privilege to give back to the OU community in this fashion," Coale said. "I was pleasantly surprised with the turnout of our student body at our final three home games, which were all over capacity crowds.

"The piece of that fan base that we most desperately crave is to see student involvement. These are the peers of our student-athletes and the energy and the lifeblood of competitive college athletics. They're the ones we want to get into the arena. This was an opportunity to challenge them and give back to them as well."

The Sooners final three home games all sold out and were the three highest attended home games in the program's history.

"OU students did a wonderful duty in coming out to those games and raising breast cancer awareness in the process," Coale added. "I am truly grateful to them for their support."

Receiving the donation were Clarke Stroud, OU Vice President for Student Affairs, and Regan Lynn, CAC Chair.

"It really is wonderful to have this type of relationship between our athletics and student life programs," Lynn said. "This is a special gift for OU students and helped raise awareness for a very worthy cause. As students, we are very thankful."

Coale, who is in the midst of a two-year term as WBCA president, made an equal personal donation to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund. Additionally, the OU women's basketball program raised over $8,000 for cancer research fund through an online auction of apparel and equipment from its "Pack the Place Pink Night" in February.

Over $1 million was raised nationally for cancer research through the WBCA's "Think Pink" campaign in 2008.

"I don't think I've ever seen a cause garner as much synergy as this one," Coale added. "It's absolutely galvanized our profession from the high school level through the junior college level, NAIA to Division I. Absolutely pulled everyone together. It was an amazing thing to be a part of and will continue to grow, I'm sure."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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