ELON, N.C. – In the first year the Southern Conference took part in the Dig for the Cure campaign, the 11 participating volleyball teams raised $18,750.22.  Davidson led the way, raising$5,400, which they will present to the Charlotte chapter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation in honor of Kerry Carr of the University of Pennsylvania. 

“I want to commend Mary Tendler of Elon for spearheading this endeavor and making it a conference wide event,” Davidson head coach Tim Cowie said.  “I am proud of what our Davidson team accomplished and look forward to sharing ideas with my fellow conference coaches so that we can make next year’s Dig for the Cure event, that much more successful.”

A record number 11 Southern Conference schools participated in the 2008 Dig for the Cure campaign, which raises money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the prevention of breast cancer.  Elon, Western Carolina, College of Charleston, Chattanooga, Appalachian State, UNC Greensboro, Georgia Southern, Davidson, Furman, Wofford and The Citadel combined to raise $18,750.22 for the cause.  The schools joined over 125 colleges and five conferences in the fight against breast cancer.

“Normally we compete against our opponents.  It was nice to join forces with the other Southern Conference schools and do something together,” Elon head coach Tendler said. 

Dig for the Cure was founded in 2003 by former Davidson head coach Lisa Marston. Her focus was to raise money and awareness for breast cancer research and provide a united community service outlet for the volleyball community.  Since it’s beginning, Dig for the Cure has raised over $340,000 for local chapters of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, including over $230,000 last season.  It is Marston’s hope to get all conferences that she has been affiliated with to participate in Dig for the Cure as a whole, so far the Southern Conference and Atlantic-10 Conference have stepped up to help the foundation reach its 2008 goal of $250,000.

Added Tendler, “Educating our teams and others about breast cancer and raising money for research is so important.  I am so proud of all the players, coaches, and administrators for taking the time and making the effort to host a Dig for the Cure event.”

For more information on Dig for the Cure or the Susan G. Komen Foundation, please visit www.digforthecure.com. 

- ELON -