The John Carroll University women’s basketball team is taking a stand for mental health.

Recently, a challenge has surfaced among NCAA teams to change the stigma regarding mental health. 

“We were nominated by Denison women’s basketball team for the challenge,” junior Nicole Heffington told The Carroll News. “After we read about it, we decided that it was something we wanted to participate in.”

Located on the JCU women’s basketball Twitter (@JohnCarroll_WBB) the team posted a video on Oct. 2 with the hashtag “#RiseTogether.”

The challenge was created to raise awareness and break the stigma of mental health,” Heffington said. “The message is passed along through sports teams to emphasize that we work together to lift each other up and ‘rise together.’”

In the video, senior Sarah Sprecher stood at mid-court of the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center. 

“If you see a teammate down, you want to pick them up,” she said. 

Then, each member of the team picked each other up to promote awareness that would, hopefully, “End the Stigma.”

“We, as a team, think that mental health is a topic that is very important to us,” Heffington said. “We want to change the stigma and show that we all have each other’s backs and that it is okay to speak up and ask for help!”

The women’s basketball team nominated the JCU women’s lacrosse team and the Capital University women’s basketball team to take up the challenge as well.

“We want to continue to pass the message along and spread awareness,” Heffington said. 

To reach out for assistance for mental health, you can contact the JCU counseling center at (216)-397-4283. Or you can attend a “Let’s Talk” drop-in session. available on Tuesdays from 2:30-4:30 p.m. at the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion, located on the second floor of the Lombardo Student Center.