On Sun., Sept. 28, Pace’s women’s basketball team participated in the twelfth annual Stephen Siller Tunnel to Tower Run for individuals affected by the September 11 tragedy.

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Tower Run “supports children who have lost a parent, firefighters, and military who were injured and sacrificed their quality of life in the line of duty.”

Pace’s women’s basketball team have been participating at this event since its inception in 2002.

“This year, we handed out t-shirts to those who walked or raced,” senior guard Margo Hackett said. “Doing these community events as a team not only allows us to give back to others, but it brings us closer as well.”

Things did get a little hectic due to the vast amount of people, according to freshman guard Gabriella Rubin; however, that didn’t stop the Setters from having a good time. Rubin described the experience as “humbling” and made her excited to help out more in the future.

Members of the team viewed the event as not only a means of giving back to the community, but also building unity.

“Doing any type of community service excites me,” junior Rachel Dortch said. “Doing things like this with my team is always a great time. I love my team as if they were my sisters, and doing things outside of the gym always brings us closer together; having a close bond to teammates is something that we all value.”

The event also helped the team put things in perspective, according to Hackett. She notes that being given so much by the university and having the opportunities she does, she believes it’s great to be able to do something for someone else.

The women’s season is scheduled to start on Nov. 14 as they take on Adelphi University.