The Kent State gymnastics team is hosting its annual Pink meet at 1 p.m. Sunday in the M.A.C. Center. The Flashes (5-3, 2-2 Mid-American Conference) will be taking on Eastern Michigan (4-5, 0-3 MAC).

This is not a normal meet for the team, as there will be baskets raffled off and custom T-shirts for sale. All proceeds will be donated to the Central Ohio Surgical Association (COSA) and its COSACARES fund.

“There are 30 baskets we put together as a team,” senior gymnast Brooke Timko said. “100 percent of what we make, what anyone does or anyone buys goes toward COSACARES.”

COSACARES is a grant that was founded by and is currently ran by Kent State gymnastics alumna Kristine Slam. COSACARES focuses on men and women who are or have been affected by breast cancer, and it helps the families with everyday life situations, like taking their kids to school or buying groceries.

Timko said this is a meet she personally looks forward to, as well as her teammates who are on the Pink team committee. The Pink team committee is made up of five gymnasts, and it is run by assistant coach Sharon Sabin.

“I personally look forward to this meet because I put a lot of work into it,” Timko said. “It’s fun because you’re not just competing for your school but competing for a greater cause, so there is my heart in this meet.”

Overall, the team’s goal is to raise awareness and funds toward breast cancer research and awareness and COSACARES. Timko said she is excited and hopes to get a great audience on Sunday.

“I would like to have a lot of people there in attendance,” Timko said, “to watch us and to raise as much money as we can with the raffle baskets and t-shirts.”

Libby Schrack is a sports reporter. Contact her at [email protected].