The Ball State University women's tennis players will have a different look when they warm up for their match against Valparaiso University at 1 p.m.
The Cardinals will wear pink T-shirts to kick off the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics' "Think Pink" weekend to promote breast cancer awareness.
"All we want to do is just make people aware that breast cancer is a deadly killer of women and that we just need to heighten our awareness about it," head coach Kathy Bull said.
Sophomore No. 1 singles player Sophie Quist said she knows the goals of today's match will be two-fold.
"I think that promoting breast cancer is a wonderful idea," Quist said. "We will be out there with knowing that our tennis match is important and that we are out there competing as usual, but we will also make ourselves and everyone who attends aware that there are so many important issues outside of the sporting fields."
Fans are encouraged to wear pink at all home events this weekend. Other than the women's tennis match, the promotion continues with the gymnastics meet against Bowling Green State University at 6 p.m. and Saturday's women's swimming and diving meet at 1 p.m., women's basketball game at 3 p.m., men's swimming and diving meet at 4 p.m. and men's basketball game at 7 p.m.
"We should all be aware of some of the awful times people have in their lives and not take our privileges for granted," Quist said.
Bull said for the match against Valparaiso (0-1), the Cardinals (2-2) might have to use some patience on the court.
"They had a bit of a style last year where they were just very patient and they hit what I call loopy shots and it kind of threw us off a little bit until we made adjustments," said Bull of Ball State's 6-1 win at Valparaiso last season.
After her team's losses against Big East opponents DePaul and Marquette universities last weekend, Bull said, an attitude change from the start could make a significant difference.
"I want us to be the aggressors, I want us to set us the tone, I want us to take charge from the very first ball that we strike," Bull said. "That's really important, not just sitting back and letting people come to us. I want us to go after our opponents and get a bit of an attitude."
They return junior Kim Sajevic, a two-time second-team All Mid-Continent Conference player who finished 14-10 overall last season and has never lost a conference match in her career.
The match at the Muncie YMCA Tennis Center begins at 1 p.m.
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