WICHITA, Kan. — Hours prior to her first official game as head coach of the LSU women’s basketball team, Nikki Caldwell and Wichita State head coach Jody Adams came together for an even bigger cause as the two served as keynote speakers for the “Color Me Pink” luncheon that drew over 400 fans on Monday afternoon in Koch Arena.
Fans paid $25 for entrance into the luncheon, which includes admission to tonight’s game. All proceeds went to breast cancer research, a cause Caldwell has been very passionate about. Caldwell is the co-founder of “Champions for a Cause,” a non-profit foundation aimed at raising dollars and awareness for a cure for breast cancer.
Every summer Caldwell embarks on week-long, cross-country motorcycle ride, “Cruisin’ for a Cause” as part of the foundation’s efforts. Last May’s journey took Caldwell on a ride from Rapid City, S.D., all the way to Los Angeles. She was joined by Adams on the long-haul trip.
Caldwell and Adams crossed paths long before their coaching days. The two were teammates at Tennessee from 1990-94 and both were members of the 1991 Lady Vols national championship team. Caldwell was a freshman guard and Adams was the starting point guard. Both coaches took questions from the audience at Wednesday’s fundraiser and stressed the importance of finding a cure for the disease.
“Two great teams are going to battle here tonight but together, we are fighting a much bigger battle in finding a cure for breast cancer,” said Caldwell. “Basketball is a great way for us to come together for this cause. I was honored to be able to speak today and we need to keep doing our part to help finding a cure.”