MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
Hutchinson Community College will host its 14th annual Pink Out basketball games Saturday, raising money for the Cancer Council of Reno County while honoring those impacted by cancer.
The Blue Dragons will face Pratt Community College, with the women’s game tipping off at 2 p.m. and the men’s game to follow. Proceeds from Pink Out T-shirt sales and donations will directly benefit the Cancer Council of Reno County.
HutchCC Athletic Director Josh Gooch said the event has become one of the department’s most meaningful traditions.
“It’s a big game for the Blue Dragons because it’s the next one on the schedule,” Gooch said. “But certainly this game is for far larger, greater things. We look forward to raising good funds and putting it to a good cause.”
Pink Out shirts are available for a suggested $10 donation at the HutchCC Sports Arena athletic office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday and during the games Saturday. Shirts are also available at Midwest Superstore. Organizers said many supporters collect a shirt each year, helping grow the fundraiser’s impact.
Funds raised go directly back into the community, according to Ashley Thompson, the Executive Director of the Cancer Council of Reno County.
“We take those funds and turn them around and directly impact our community members,” said Thompson. “Think of the things insurance does not cover — out-of-pocket expenses that are unexpected but still necessary as you’re going through treatment. We try to cover that gap.”
The event carries special significance this year for HutchCC, as longtime sports information director Steve Carpenter has been undergoing cancer treatment. Gooch said the college community has seen firsthand the importance of the council’s work.
“When it’s somebody that you work with, somebody who’s been so heavily involved in helping this event run, it hits a little closer to home,” Gooch said. “We really appreciate the Cancer Council of Reno County for what they’ve done for Steve during this time.”
Saturday’s games will also include tributes to those affected by cancer, including a video honoring former Blue Dragon Tiana Mangakahia, who later became a standout player at Syracuse University before her death from cancer.
Gooch said Pink Out games have become common across the country as teams wear pink accents, jerseys and whistles to raise awareness. At HutchCC, the tradition has grown into a major community partnership involving the college, the Cancer Council of Reno County and Midwest Superstore.
“We couldn’t fulfill our mission without them,” Thompson said. “They allow us to do the work that we do.”
Organizers encourage fans to wear pink — or this year’s predominantly blue shirts with pink accents — and arrive early to support the cause.
“There won’t be a dry eye in the house,” Gooch said. “We want to rally together — to breathe fire on wiping out cancer and supporting those navigating their trial.”