When Jessica Wolfenden steps onto the floor to warm up for her team’s volleyball match against New Hampshire today, there will be more on the line for her than just a victory and conference bragging rights.

The University of Maine setter and outside hitter, along with two teammates, is heading up an effort to raise awareness and funding for breast cancer research through the “Side-Out Foundation, which is sponsoring “big pink” collegiate games all over the country this weekend.

“We have pink warmup T-shirts that [teammate] Ashlee Wright’s parents donated, and Asics donated pink game jerseys for us to wear,” said Wolfenden. “We’ve also been raising money through donations and a web site. We’ve raised almost $1,200 so far.”

Wolfenden, who collected $450 in donations with teammates at last weekend’s football game, has a personal stake in this as her mother recently underwent a mastectomy and both radiation treatment and chemotherapy.

“She just finished chemo and radiation, so it’s a very real thing for me,” said Wolfenden, a senior secondary education and social sciences major from Ottawa. “It’s hard. She doesn’t like to talk to me much about it because she doesn’t want me to worry too much. She’s growing her hair back and she’s tired, but I think she feels pretty good.”

Wolfenden said she’s been amazed by the number of teammates who have their own personal connections to people battling breast cancer.

“A lot of girls on the team have grandparents, aunts, friends, friends parents who have been affected,” Wolfenden said. “It’s touched almost everyone’s lives in some way.”

The UMaine players involved in the fundraising are only $300 short of their $1,500 goal. Anyone wishing to contribute may do so at Friday’s 5 p.m. game or via the Internet (www.sideoutvolleyball.org/mainevent/minievent/capitaluniversityofmai/.

MacGregor gets NEIGA award

Husson University golf coach Bruce MacGregor has been recognized for his 18-year career by receiving the Gordon McCullough Award, presented annually since 1992 for recognition of outstanding service to New England golf.

The Husson Eagles finished second among NCAA Division III teams at the recent New England Intercollegiate Golf Championship and seventh overall in the 44-team field. They won 10 of the 11 tournaments they played in this season and qualified for their second straight trip to the NCAA National Tournament by winning the North Atlantic Conference championship.

UM women host Halloween skate

The University of Maine women’s ice hockey team will have a Halloween skate with children on Thursday in Alfond Arena in Orono between 5:30 and 7 p.m.

Both beginning and experienced skaters are welcome to join the Black Bears at the skate, which also features a costume contest, raffles, games and a chuck-a-puck contest. Skaters must bring their own skates.

The team will also be collecting non-perishable food items.

aneff@bangordailynews.net

990-8205