'Saders open against UMass.

• Position: SPORTS

Holy Cross' 2008 football schedule announced yesterday includes five home games, beginning with the season opener against Colonial Athletic Association co-champion national quarterfinalist UMass on Sept. 6

After a week off, the Crusaders will travel to Ivy League champion Harvard on Sept. 20. HC will stay on the road to take on Georgetown in its Patriot League opener on Sept. 27, before heading to Yale on Oct. 4.

Other nonleague opponents include Brown (home, Oct. 11) and Dartmouth (away, Oct. 18). HC will finish its season with league games against Lehigh (home, Oct. 25), Bucknell (home, Nov. 1), Fordham (home, Nov. 8), Lafayette (away, Nov. 15) and Colgate (away, Nov. 22).

"I like the fact that we are continuing to play a number of longtime New England rivals in our nonconference schedule," HC coach Tom Gilmore said. "We will also challenge ourselves with some top-notch competition, which will prepare us for the tough opponents we will face in the Patriot League."

The Crusaders will begin spring practice on March 20. Their annual spring game is April 19.

`Think Pink' week

The Women's Basketball Coaches Association will launch its annual "Think Pink" initiative on Friday.

In an effort to raise breast cancer awareness, all Worcester area teams are expected to take part in the national program, which will run through Feb. 17. During that time, players will incorporate pink into their uniforms and solicit donations, while game officials will use pink whistles.

At Assumption, players will hand out pink wrist bands and T-shirts in exchange for donations. The Greyhounds have worn pink shoe laces all season. Becker players will wear wristbands and warm up in "Think Pink" T-shirts, which will also be raffled off during games along with a "Think Pink" basket.

More information about "Think Pink" can be found on the WBCA Web site at www.wbca.org/thinkpink.asp.

Around the campuses ...

Three Assumption basketball players are nearing 1,000 points - Corey Diethorn (993), Beth Plasski (955) and Greg Toomey (920). ... Greyhound Hall of Famer Henri Belanger recently passed away. A .331 lifetime hitter, Belanger (Class of 1935) played for two members of the Baseball Hall of Fame at the same time. Jesse Burkett was his head coach at Assumption and Rube Marquard his assistant. ... Dr. Thomas Manning ('69), a former Assumption football player, will receive the "Heart of Gold Award" at Saturday's Central Mass. Heart Ball at Union Station.

Clark softball star...