VESTAL, N.Y. – Olympic gold medalist and WNBA champion Swin Cash was the featured speaker at the 12th Annual Celebrating Women's Athletics Luncheon on Monday afternoon at the Events Center. The luncheon, which had an event-record 660 attendees, was geared towards raising support for the Binghamton Women's Scholarship Fund.
 
During her collegiate career at the University of Connecticut (UConn), Cash was an All-American and part of the Huskie teams that won both the 2000 and 2002 NCAA championships. UConn went a perfect 39-0 in 2002 and she was named the Most Outstanding Player of that year's NCAA Tournament. Cash is a member of the inaugural class (2006) of inductees to UConn's women's basketball "Huskies of Honor" recognition program.
 
Cash was selected second overall by the Detroit Shock in the 2002 WNBA Draft. Over the next 15 seasons, she played for five different WNBA teams, was named a WNBA All-Star four times (2003, 2005, 2011 & 2013) and won three league championships (2003, 2006 & 2010). Cash was also named the MVP of both the 2009 and 2011 WNBA All-Star Games.
 
While her WNBA career continued to flourish, Cash was also a part of the both the 2004 and 2012 United States Olympic Teams, both of which won gold medals. In addition, she was selected to the 2010 National Team that captured the gold medal at the FIFA World Championships. Cash announced her retirement from the WNBA this past June and was recently honored as one of the 20 Greatest and Most Influential Players in WNBA History.
 
On Monday at the Events Center, Cash shared her appreciation for the university's commitment to supporting women's athletics.
 
"I think what Binghamton University does to bring awareness to female athletes and the importance of supporting them is just tremendous. I feel very honored and blessed to be here today."
 
Cash arrived at the Events Center with a message for everyone in attendance, especially the young female athletes.

"Each young athlete starts out with a dream," she said. "That dream isn't always Division I basketball. There are so many opportunities out there for young girls. Your dream may be different from someone else's dream but it is still important. I want the audience today to see that I am a girl that came from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania who went off to college to play basketball and stayed true to her academics. If I can reach one girl in the room today, then I feel like I've done my job."
 
One female athlete in attendance also delivered a speech at the Women's Athletics Luncheon. Senior forward Kristin Ross of the Binghamton women's basketball team shared how playing a college sport reshaped her life.
 
"Playing basketball at the Division I level has been one of the most intense and rewarding experiences of my life," she said. "What I have gotten out of my time here at Binghamton has been invaluable. I built upon my identity as a basketball player. I became a wiser leader, a more compassionate friend, a more dedicated student and a stronger person."

Ross and the rest of the Binghamton women's basketball team had an opportunity to meet Cash following the Women's Athletics Luncheon. Cash came into the locker room to share her story and answer any questions the players had.
 
Junior guard Imani Watkins has been a huge fan of Cash during her career and was both excited and honored to finally meet her."
 
"I was really excited when I heard she was coming," she said. "I told my coaches right away that I was going to be in the building and it was just a blessing and an honor to hear her speak. She is an amazing woman who has accomplished so much and is still very humble."
 
Since 2006, the Celebrating Women's Athletics Luncheon has now raised more than $300,000 to support the Women's Scholarship Fund.  The scholarships were established in 2007, and are awarded annually to two female student-athletes. The luncheon began in 2006, with just 75 attendees, and is today one of the Athletics Department's primary fundraisers.

Luncheon attendees had the opportunity to meet current Bearcat student-athletes and coaches from the women's teams. In addition, guests had the chance to bid on several auction items with all proceeds going toward the BBAA Women's Scholarship Fund.