Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University women's lacrosse team will sponsor Friends of Jaclyn (FoJ) Day at its home game against Erskine College Saturday, April 12 (12 noon start). The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation is an organization focused on improving the quality of life for children with pediatric brain tumors.
 
"We are excited to join forces with The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation to help bring awareness to pediatric brain tumors," Wingate head coach Caline Olmsted says. "It is important to support these young children and their families during a very difficult time in their lives. We are honored to be a small part of such a wonderful organization that does so much for these children."
 
The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation's mission is to improve the quality of life for children and their families who are battling pediatric brain tumors. In addition, they raise awareness about this insidious disease. During Wingate's FoJ Day, the Bulldogs are dedicating the game to raising money for the foundation. Wingate will wear FoJ shirts during pre-game warm-ups.
 
Earlier this year, the Wingate women's lacrosse team had the highest participation rate in the school's Be The Match® Marrow Donor Registry Drive (sponsored by the WU women's basketball team). The women's lacrosse team received $200 for this distinction, which they could donate to charity. The Bulldogs selected the FoJ movement for these funds.
 
"I came to know the organization when I was a student-athlete at Duke and coach at Bucknell," Olmsted says. "We hope to continue our partnership with FoJ at Wingate for years to come."
 
For more information on the organization, one can visit the Friends of Jaclyn web site at this link. Bulldog fans can visit Wingate's FoJ donation page at this link. In addition, donations will be solicited during the game Saturday.
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, ranked as the 8th "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,000 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration, and doctorates in pharmacy, physical therapy and education.
 
With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past seven years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing private colleges in the 2000's with 59 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate's 59 Academic All-America® honorees are number one during this millennium. Wingate's 68 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.