XULA volleyball triumphs in pink out Game: honor breast cancer survivors
November 4, 2024
Alyssa Studvent, a junior on Xavier’s women’s volleyball team, wears pink lace on her tennis shoe every time she steps on the court. She does this to honor her mother and all the other breast cancer survivors – those who lost the battle and those currently fighting.
Xavier hosted its annual Pink Out volleyball game for breast cancer awareness on Oct. 4, 2024. The Gold Nuggets beat the women of Louisiana Christian University in four sets: 19-25, 25-15, 25-19, and 25-22.
The Pink Out game was particularly important to Alyssa, whose mother, Katrina Studvent is a breast cancer survivor.
“It was encouraging because she wasn’t alone as she stood with other patients, survivors and loved ones that were impacted by cancer,” Alyssa said.
For Alyssa, these games are about much more than just the final score.
“Breast cancer disproportionately affects black women, so to have a court full of African American women in the pink out game and my mom in the stands, it was incredible,” Alyssa said.
The Pink Out games send a message to the entire community that we’re in this together, she said. “No one truly stands alone, and they deserve to be celebrated for their battle, their wins and their losses, and we will do that together.”
As the Gold Nuggets continue their season, this pink out game for many serves as a reminder of the broader impact sports can have on important social issues.
“Know that it takes a village to get through a cancer journey and even after the treatment is done the journey continues,” Katrina Studvent said.
