Iowa Wesleyan College raised more than $400 for the Coaches vs. Cancer and Pink Zone initiatives on Jan. 30 during its Midwest Collegiate Conference basketball games against Ashford University.

Tiger basketball players went through the stands at halftime of both games and received donations from those in attendance, with men's players going through the stands during the women's game and women's players returning the favor during the men's game. IWC raised the money for Coaches vs. Cancer, a national program sponsored by the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and Pink Zone, a program sponsored by the Women's Basketball Coaches Association that promotes breast cancer awareness.

Tiger coaches followed Coaches vs. Cancer tradition and wore sneakers for the games, and IWC's staff was one of hundreds of college coaching staffs across the country participating in the CvC "Suits and Sneakers" weekend. Iowa Wesleyan also combined the Coaches vs. Cancer weekend with the WBCA's Pink Zone (formerly "Think Pink") program. Many fans and spectators in attendance also wore sneakers and pink clothing in support of the causes.

The Iowa Wesleyan women's basketball team also wore pink uniforms for the occasion for the first time in school history, with some players also sporting pink shoelaces and headbands. The pink uniforms with purple numbers and white trim carried special meaning for the team. IWC point guard Danielle Des Jardins is a member of a family that has been affected by breast cancer, as her mother Sally is a breast cancer survivor. Sally Des Jardins was in attendance at the game and wore one of the team's pink jerseys, and team members presented her with pink roses before the game.

The games also helped kick off the Midwest Collegiate Conference's week of taking part in the Coaches vs. Cancer and Pink Zone programs. MCC schools are participating in the programs Jan. 30-Feb. 6.