You can call the trip whatever you like: an attempt to change the image of Binghamton University, a way to compensate for the collapsing men’s team. The real reason and motivation, however, is an honest desire to do something special for someone else.

The Binghamton University women’s basketball team visited the Humane Society in Binghamton last Sunday, designed as part of its efforts to raise funding and spread awareness for the shelter. The program is also planning several events throughout the 2009-10 campaign that will more directly allow the community to give to the shelter during games.

“The idea started in May,” said Binghamton head coach Nicole Scholl. “Normally I give [the team] several ideas that they can decide as a group on what we will do during the year. This was something kind of different that we had never done as a program before.”

The Humane Society is independent and a non-profit animal welfare organization. The shelter finds animals homes, they allow people to sponsor a pet until it has a family and accepts financial and food donations.

“They receive no government support,” Scholl said. “They have to raise all the money themselves; they definitely appreciate any support.”

For every win the team records this season, Scholl will pledge $50 to the shelter. Bearcats fans are encouraged to pledge as well; pledge cards will be available at all home games. There will also be 50/50 raffles at selected women’s games with all proceeds going directly to the organization. Binghamton has plans to pick a home game to host a dog and cat food drive to benefit the shelter.

“There were pretty excited about it,” Scholl said on the player’s reactions. “A majority of our team has had pets and we thought it would be a unique opportunity to do something different.”

The team made the trip to the shelter on Oct. 11. Players did more than see the animals; they were given an in-depth look into the workings of the organization.

“Our kids got an orientation session,” Scholl said. “They started the dog walking, learned the system. The players were really excited; they loved playing with the animals, walking the dogs, playing with the cats.”

The root of the idea to team up with the shelter came from Scholl’s personal involvement with the organization.

“I volunteered there as a dog walker and playing with the cats,” she said. “[Volunteering] at the shelter is more than just walking and socializing; they do a variety of different things.”

Scholl’s own interests in pets started during her childhood.

“I grew up on farm and had pets since I was very young,” Scholl said. “I had a soft spot for cats and dogs, and I wanted to see if there was something we could do more for the group.”

After all the negative press and all the issues that the men’s basketball has encountered these last few weeks, Scholl’s program may have picked the perfect time to show the positive aspects to the basketball program at Binghamton. Despite the convenient timing, Scholl had the events planned for months.

“We had planned this before anything had happened,” Scholl said. “We have already done the breast cancer walk. This is stuff we had talked about way beforehand.”

The team returns a strong core of last year’s squad that went to the America East semifinal. Sophomore Andrea Holmes, the reigning America East Conference Rookie of the Year, returns as the star from last year after she averaged 10 points per game and ranked fourth in the conference with 4.1 assists per game and tied for ninth with 1.6 steals per game.

“I am really excited about the team we have this year,” Scholl said. “Preseason is going great; we have a great combination of an experienced group and our young [players].”

The team faces a difficult non-conference schedule this season. BU faces Big East member Villanova University and ACC member University of Miami in December. The Bearcats open their season at home Nov. 13 against St. Bonaventure University.

“We’re on the right page as far as moving forward with our program,” Scholl said. “We have a tough non-conference schedule in preparation for [AE play] and the competition night-in and night-out will help us get ready for it.”