The Virginia Street Gym will be filled with spectators, players, the Pep Band, the dance team and of course, Wolfie and Alphie wearing pink at the volleyball game against Boise State on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. to promote breast cancer awareness and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure the next morning. Wolf Pack for the Cure will be a first for the volleyball team and the University’s first pink out.

The first 500 people to arrive at the game will receive the pink T-shirts commemorating the Wolf Pack for the Cure event and the game as well as the Race for the Cure. People who wear pink will receive admission into the game for free. The expected turnout for the game is about 1000. Leroy Hardy, director of community relations for Wolf Pack Athletics, hopes the amount of people showing up for the game to support the team and to learn about breast cancer and the Susan G. Komen Foundation will encourage people to support such foundations.

“People will be very inspired that so many people are turning out for breast cancer awareness,” Hardy said. “There will be electricity in the air.”

With the Pep Band playing music at the volleyball game for the first time in the band’s history, the enthusiasm will be especially high, according to Devin Scruggs, the volleyball team’s head coach.

“I think it’s going to be a fun night,” Scruggs said. “It’ll be an exciting venue.”

Wolf Pack for the Cure not only endorses the Race for the Cure, but will shed awareness about breast cancer to the community and members of the University of Nevada, Reno community. The Susan G. Komen Foundation will have a table at the game with information about the foundation and the disease.

For many at the game, the pink out will hit close to home.

“We’ve all been affected by someone who has passed away or is suffering from breast cancer,” Hardy said.

Sage Aune, 20-year-old volleyball player, was just a child when her aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. Now, she looks forward to wearing pink while playing in the game at the Wolf Pack for the Cure event and participating at the race on the following day.

“I wasn’t able to be a part of anything for my aunt,” Aune said. “It’s a really good feeling to be able to help others when I wasn’t able to do as much for my aunt.”

The pink out event has certainly forged a connection with the community at large as well as those who are part of the University, Scruggs said.