FAIRFAX, Va. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and Side-Out Foundation jointly announced the winners of the AVCA Dig Pink® grand prize drawing on Friday, Nov. 22.
The coaches who were announced as grand prize winners were Terri Toninato from Ronald Reagan High School (WI) and Anneliese Yombor from Villa Walsh Academy (NJ). At the time of the drawing, 153 coaches were eligible after raising over $1,500 with their programs for The Side-Out Foundation through Dig Pink® as of Nov. 15.
As winners of the AVCA grand prize, the winning coaches each won a free AVCA Convention registration, airfare, and NCAA Championship match tickets in Pittsburgh, PA (Dec. 19 & 21).
In addition to the awards above, the winners will be recognized during the Jostens Coaches Honors Luncheon on Dec. 19. They will represent all the programs, tournaments, and individuals that raised funds through Dig Pink® in 2019.
Coaches who were entered into the drawing joined their teams to fundraise as part of Side-Out’s 2019 Dig Pink® Rally. Since 2008, the volleyball community has raised over $14 million for Side-Out’s own stage IV breast cancer research. To donate to the 2019 Dig Pink® Rally, visit here.
The 2019 AVCA Convention takes place Dec. 18-21 in Pittsburgh, PA. With an extensive curriculum of more than 90 educational sessions, the AVCA Annual Convention is the volleyball industry’s most comprehensive learning event of the year. To register for the convention, visit the AVCA’s registration page.
About AVCA
The AVCA, with its headquarters in Lexington, Ky., is managed by Associations International. The mission of the AVCA is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy and professional development. With a membership of over 8,000 and counting, the AVCA provides a professional network for those individuals and companies dedicated to enhancing and promoting the sport. Members include collegiate, high school, club, youth and Olympic coaches, as well as volleyball club directors. The AVCA provides education to volleyball coaches, recognition of elite players and coaches, promotion of volleyball competitions throughout the world, and networking opportunities for volleyball products and services providers. Further information is available at www.avca.org.
About The Side-Out Foundation
The Side-Out Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, VA that unifies the volleyball community to drive change in the way breast cancer is treated. Support through its programs (Dig Pink® and Dig-A-Thon) raise money for critical research of late-stage metastatic breast cancer – the least funded form of breast cancer research. In 2018, over 750 campaigns worldwide contributed $1,251,464 to Side-Out’s stage IV clinical trials, taking place at leading cancer institutions in the United States. Supported by prominent members of the community, including two-time Olympic Beach Volleyball medalist April Ross, Side-Out has raised more than $14 million for research on the disease. It has completed two successful clinical trials using Side-Out’s individualized treatment protocols and is currently recruiting for its third trial, its largest yet. Volleyball coaches across the country use Side-Out’s programs as team-building experiences that reinforce the role sports can and should play in supporting athletes’ communities off the court. For more details, visit www.side-out.org.
