Marquette lacrosse ‘PanCan’ game raises awareness, funds

Marquette lacrosse ‘PanCan’ game raises awareness, funds

Marquette women’s lacrosse held its annual pancreatic cancer awareness game, raising funds and honoring survivors while continuing a tradition that has generated more than $50,000.

MILWAUKEE - Every season, one game on the Marquette women's lacrosse schedule will get circled.

This year, that special game was on March 21, 2026, against Georgetown.

"I think it’s really important because we play for a greater cause," said Tess Osburn, Marquette women's lacrosse senior attacker. "We’re not just playing for ourselves. We’re playing for other people."

Ever since 2012, the Golden Eagles have held their annual Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Game. All the money they raise helps support the Seena Magowitz Foundation and their pancreatic cancer community. 

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Marquette women's lacrosse head coach Meredith Black started this yearly tradition. 

"It started with my best friend’s mom, who passed away from pancreatic cancer, so that became, like, my ‘why’ to doing this in the first place," said Meredith Black. "Then, as we’ve done it each year, we are watching the survival rate grow every year. We’re watching more clinical trials come out."

According to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, more than 67,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year alone. It's also one of the deadliest cancers.

That's why the games are so important. The Marquette women are using their platform to raise funds in support of research and clinical trials.

"We’re part of life watching so many great progressions they’re making in helping survival rate and making lower death rate for people with pancreatic cancer, so that’s been really cool and that’s so inspiring to see actual things evolving and getting so much better and saving people’s lives," said Black.

Raising awareness is another crucial part, especially for the players.

Some have been affected by the disease, whether through a direct family member or even a friend. 

"It seems like, and I wish it wasn’t the case, but it seems like it’s touched someone pretty directly all 14 years," said Black.

That's why this "PanCan" game was so impactful. 

"That’s the most people we’ve had at our game this year," said Osburn.

The team wore purple ribbons, which represented the official color of pancreatic cancer. At halftime, the team also honored some pancreatic cancer survivors.

"It’s amazing," said Black. "It’s so incredible because it’s hard to be a survivor and so seeing those people and getting to meet them and watching them be able to live their life after that is amazing."

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Throughout the years, the Marquette women's lacrosse team has raised over $50,000 through their annual game.

Their commitment to finding a cure and supporting those affected keeps them motivated to do even more. As long as Coach Black remains at Marquette, she said she'll keep doing these games every year. 

"We’ve seen so much and so, it’s so inspiring to keep wanting to do it," said Black.

If you'd like to donate to the Marquette women's lacrosse team's pancreatic cancer fundraiser, click here.