SUNY Cortland Athletics will be participating in the State University of New York Athletic Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee's (SUNYAC SAAC) "10 Million Yards for Yeardley" event on Sunday, April 30. The event will be a part of a collective endeavor hosted on each of the campuses of the 10 schools in the conference on various dates during the week of April 24-30.
The event, in conjunction with the One Love Foundation, will help promote awareness of domestic abuse and relationship violence issues. Yeardley Love was a women's lacrosse player at the University of Virginia who was tragically beaten to death by her ex-boyfriend just three weeks prior to her college graduation in May 2010.
From noon to 5 p.m. on April 30 at the SUNY Cortland Stadium Complex, faculty, staff, students, family and friends are encouraged to join in walking or running for this important cause. The event will feature a DJ, music, snacks, tabling and information tents, and free giveaways throughout the day.
Cortland's goal is to have participants cover a combined total of at least one million yards, with the overall goal of 10 million yards for the 10 SUNYAC schools combined. The event is the first-ever Yards for Yeardley endeavor taken on by an entire conference.
Prizes will be given to the top three individuals and to the athletic team recording the most yards.
Yeardley's family established the One Love Foundation in her honor to help bring an end to relationship violence by educating, empowering and activating campus communities in a movement for change. In 2015, the collegiate lacrosse community started the Yards for Yeardley campaign to show support for One Love's work to build awareness of relationship violence on college campuses. For more information on the One Love Foundation, visit www.joinonelove.org.
