WISE – The UVA Wise women's basketball game on February 8 will be the team's annual Play4Kay game, which raises awareness of breast cancer and highlights and honors breast cancer survivors. This year the game will have a special significance as sophomore guard
Jalie Ruehling was recently named a Kay Yow Servant Leader for the 2024-25 season.
The Kay Yow Cancer Fund was founded in honor of former North Carolina State head coach Kay Yow, who had a 22 year battle with breast cancer before passing away in 2009. She helped set up the fund in 2007 to support advanced research, extend the quality of life for those battling cancer, serve the underserved, and unite people. The name Yow might be familiar to people around the Southwest Virginia and upper East Tennessee areas as her sister Debbie coached at Kentucky, Florida, and Maryland; and another sister, Susan, coached in the South Atlantic Conference at Queens University of Charlotte for six seasons as well as coaching at ETSU for four seasons.
As part of the Cancer Fund's outreach, the Kay Yow Servant Leader Award was created in 2024 to honor student-athletes who best embody the characteristics of Coach Kay Yow – people with a servant's spirit and a commitment to selfless leadership both on and off the court and athletic field. As defined by the program's website, "Recipients of the Servant Leader Award are people of great character who put the needs of others before their own, who uplift others, and who do it with grace and humility. They are nominated by their coach, and are people who exemplify Coach Yow's spirit and who reflect her resolve, grace, generosity, and servant's heart. Winners display courage and strength, and their first response is to give to others. They are people who have, or will make an impact in the fight against cancer – improving lives and giving hope."
Recipients may be recognized by the patch they wear on their uniform the year they win the award.
Ruehling, a sophomore from Coalmont, Tennessee, was one of 15 NCAA student-athletes to receive the inaugural award.
She was nominated by Coach
Jamie Cluesman, who stated "I decided to nominate Jalie for this award for her exceptional character, and for consistently putting the needs of others before her own/ Jalie brings and infectious energy that uplifts our entire team. Her positive attitude and enthusiasm are a constant source of motivation for everyone around her."
The award has special significance for Ruehling as her mom was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. "Just winning the award was… I am so honored and grateful for it," said Ruehling "But knowing it makes my mom and my family very proud, it really means a lot that I can represent it on a different level than someone whose mom doesn't have breast cancer."
As part of the Play4Kay game, those impacted by breast cancer are invited to stand as they are able in order to show the impact that breast cancer has on our community. The players will have special messages posted in the Prior Center wall on the upper concourse to honor those in their lives who they play for on Saturday. Also, the UVA Wise Student Athlete Advisory Committee will be collecting donations throughout the game for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
Fans are encouraged to wear pink and cheer on the Cavs as they play Limestone University.
Because the day is also Cavalier Community Fan Day, admission to both the women's and men's games are free. So fans should have more money available to donate to this worthy cause.
