SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The St. Francis volleyball program will have a Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Awareness Night on Tuesday, Sept. 22 in support of Troubadour Natalie Woodruff and her fight against the disease. She was diagnosed in May and began receiving treatment in July. The event will take place prior to the varsity game against Davis High School.

“It is going to mean a lot to them,” said Head Coach Alynn Wright. “Even though she has not been with us, she is with us. Natalie is as much a part of the team in spirit. They are going to play their hearts out for her and I think it could be a pivotal point for us. It is definitely going to be an emotional game for everyone.”

Woodruff, who is taking time away from school, would have been a junior on the St. Francis varsity volleyball team this fall and is looking forward to her return to the court. The St. Francis varsity team will wear lime green jerseys to support  Natalie and Blood Cancer Awareness Month and will participate in a pre-game prayer.

Seniors Abby Fitzgerald (volleyball), Mia Bonini (lacrosse) and Sophie Huang (cross country) will be recognized before the game for their support of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Greater Sacramento Area Chapter. There were all finalists for the Student of the Year given by the organization.

“Hopefully we put all of our hearts on the court, play all out for Natalie,” said senior Abby Fitzgerald, who was selected the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Greater Sacramento Area Chapter 2015 Student of the Year . “It is tough so the least we can do is play our hardest and give everything.”

The mission of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) is to “cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.”

The LLS funds research worldwide and is a resource for free information and support services to those affected by blood cancers. To learn more about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, visit: www.lls.org.

The freshman volleyball team will start the action against Davis at 4 p.m. The JV and Varsity games will follow. The event will take place after the junior varsity game and before varsity warmups against Davis High