Twenty years after breast cancer disrupted her season, West Florida volleyball coach Melissa Wolter is turning her experience into support for others. The team’s annual Pack-it-Pink match will raise money to provide mammograms for women who can’t afford them.

By the Numbers
  • Wolter completed 8 rounds of chemotherapy and has remained cancer-free.
  • West Florida finished 20-15 in 2006, reaching the Gulf South Conference tournament semifinals and the second round of the NCAA Division II South Regional.
  • The Argos are 14-5 overall and 6-3 in ASUN play in their first Division I season.
  • UWF is hosting its 19th annual Pack-it-Pink match, with an attendance goal of 2,000 fans.
Yes, But

Wolter’s diagnosis and treatment came in the middle of a demanding season, and she kept the news private for weeks. She says she never wanted the season to be about her, while former players remember how her perseverance—and the support of her team and community—helped them through their own challenges.

State of Play
  • West Florida will host Florida Gulf Coast on November 6 at 6 p.m. at PenAir Field House.
  • Proceeds will go to the Baptist Health Care Foundation to help provide mammograms for women who otherwise couldn’t afford them.
What's Next

Wolter hopes the match will bring 2,000 fans together and turn her story into access to screening for women in need.

Bottom Line

Wolter’s lasting legacy extends beyond building a winning program: she is using the support that carried her through cancer to help others get the screening they need.