During the most demanding part of the basketball season, the Great Northeast Athletic Conference women’s basketball teams took time to fight much larger battles.

This past season, all 13 GNAC institutions participated in two noteworthy events, the GNAC’s “Passionate Purple” week in January to raise awareness and funds for the Lupus Foundation of America, and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s “Pink Zone” week in February to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer. The GNAC raised a total of more than $3,500 during the two events.

“The student-athletes and coaches of the GNAC are outstanding in the area of community service,” said GNAC Commissioner Joe Walsh. “Everyone affiliated with the GNAC should be extremely proud of the contribution to these two very important causes.”

“Passionate Purple” week was the vision of Simmons head women's basketball coach Tony Price, who wanted to support a cause that is often overshadowed. Price has had two personal experiences with lupus. The mother of one of Price’s students and a close friend of the coach’s wife have lupus.

As a coach at an all-women's college, Price feels an even closer connection to lupus, which predominately affects young women.  Ninety percent of people with lupus are women, and African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans are two to three times more likely than Caucasian women to develop lupus.

Lupus not only affected people in Price’s life, it has also affected another member of the GNAC family.

Mount Ida head women's basketball coach Jack Casey has also felt the effects of lupus. Casey’s wife, Annemarie, has lived with the disease for 28 years. Annemarie is very active in the lupus community, and has raised awareness and funds for the cause. Annemarie and Casey also assisted in the development of the first ever GNAC “Passionate Purple” week.

During “Passionate Purple” week two GNAC coaches, both of whom have a strong passion for lupus awareness, faced off on the court when Casey’s team took on Price's team at Simmons January 21. Although they supported and fought for different schools, they came together in support of lupus awareness.

The GNAC effort raised more than $1,600 from the 13 GNAC institutions and received local coverage in the Boston Globe. All of the proceeds collected were donated to the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA). GNAC institutions raised money and awareness in a variety of ways, including inviting individuals with lupus to speak at games, wearing purple socks, asking fans to wear purple, collecting gate proceeds, and selling T-shirts.

The LFA is the foremost national nonprofit voluntary health organization dedicated to finding the causes of and cure for lupus and for providing support, services and hope to all people affected by lupus. The LFA operates programs of research, education, and advocacy, and has a nationwide network of nearly 300 chapters, branches, and support groups.

After the successful efforts in January, the women’s basketball teams went on to participate in the WBCA’s Pink Zone week. The GNAC raised more than $1,900, which was donated primarily to the Kay Yow Fund, with a few other cancer research organizations receiving some of the proceeds.

The Pink Zone initiative is a global, unified effort by the WBCA to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond.

Jessica Huntley is assistant commissioner and director of communications for the Great Northeast Athletic Conference.