Oct. 17, 2007

COLUMBIA, S.C. – On Friday, Oct. 5, the South Carolina volleyball team joined with Zeta Tau Alpha for the first “Dig for the Cure” in conjunction with the match against Tennessee. The combined efforts of the groups brought $5,401 to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, over twice as much as the national requirement to participate in the promotion.

Fundraising efforts including pledges collected by the team, a silent auction featuring items donated from South Carolina head coaches and local businesses and direct donations from people at the match. Local high schools also participated, asking for donations at their matches earlier in the week.

“The Gamecock volleyball team is proud to join in the fight against breast cancer,” Carolina head volleyball coach Ben Somera stated. “We feel that the privilege of working and playing for the South Carolina volleyball program, which enjoys tremendous support from our athletic department and the Columbia community, comes with responsibility: to use our resources in a socially conscious way. Breast cancer has touched the lives of many people in our program, and “Dig for the Cure” combined the tremendous efforts of many, in and out of our program, to make sure this disease effects less and less of those lives in the future. I am humbled by the energy with which our athletes, our marketing department and Zeta Tau Alpha sorority used to make this initial fundraising attempt so successful.”

Through the “Dig for the Cure” program, participating volleyball teams nationwide have helped raise more than $36,000 for the Komen Foundation. All of the money raised by the Gamecocks will go directly to the Komen Foundation’s local affiliate.