Oct. 22, 2009
ATLANTA – The Georgia Tech Volleyball team (13-6, 7-2 ACC) will play its only home matches in nearly a month this weekend when Wake Forest (7-13, 5-4) and Duke (17-4, 7-2) visit O’Keefe Gymnasium. The Yellow Jackets, who are 10-0 at home this year, will play Wake Forest on Friday and then Duke on Saturday. Both matches begin at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s match against Duke will be the fourth annual “Dig for the Cure” event to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer awareness. Georgia Tech marketing representatives will have a table set up in the lobby of O’Keefe Gym before both matches to collect donations. In the last three years, over $16,000 has been raised by Georgia Tech for breast cancer research.
“I hope everyone can come out this weekend not only to see some exciting volleyball matches but to support a great cause,” said head coach Tonya Johnson. “So many people have either been affected or know someone who has been affected in some capacity that it’s important we continue to create awareness and raise funds for the necessary research. “We’re proud to be supporting this effort.”
The Yellow Jackets are currently tied with Duke for second-place in the ACC entering play this weekend. All-time, Tech is 24-8 against Wake Forest and has won five straight matches in the series. Against Duke, the Yellow Jackets are 19-34. In 2007, Tech beat the Blue Devils when they were ranked 14th. Last season, Duke won both matches in five sets. Both matches this weekend will be broadcast on WREK, 91.1 FM in Atlanta and online at www.RamblinWreck.com.
The Yellow Jackets will also be holding several raffles throughout the night of the Duke match to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Prizes include two tickets to the Wake Forest football game, a volleyball prize pack, a one night stay at the Regency Suites Hotel on West Peachtree Street, tickets to next month’s matches against Florida State and Miami, an autographed pink jersey and an autographed volleyball. Pink shirts and hats will also be sold throughout the night and fans will receive a free pink shaker when they enter the gym. There will also be a post-match autograph session with the team.
As part of the fundraiser, Georgia Tech will wear pink jerseys designed by Russell Athletic and auction off all jerseys online following the conclusion of the match. Fans may participate in the online auction by visiting auctions.ramblinwreck.com.
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation was established in 1982 by Nancy Brinker to honor the memory of her sister, Susan G. Komen, who died from breast cancer at the age of 36. Today, the foundation is an international organization with a network of hundreds of thousands of volunteers working through local affiliates and events like the Komen Race for the Cure® to eradicate breast cancer as a life-threatening disease. Together with its Affiliate Network, corporate partners and generous donors, the Komen Foundation raises more than $275 million annually for the fight against breast cancer. For more information, call the National Toll-Free Breast Care Helpline at 1.800 I’M AWARE® (1.800.462.9273) or visit www.komen.org.
