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The night before our first game in the Conference USA tournament, I was walking down the hallway of our hotel and ran into Coach Collins. I asked if he had heard about the NBA suspending their season. He said yes and he told me he believed college basketball would be next.
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"Play tomorrow's game like it's your last because it might be," he said.
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I woke up the next morning with that in mind. I intended to enjoy every moment of the day as it could be my last as a Lady Topper. We woke up for shootaround and came back to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast I went up to my room to shower and relax before the game. As soon I got out of the shower I got the notification that the SEC had cancelled their tournament. Shortly after that I got a text from Coach Collins asking what room I was in. I knew at that moment, when I read his text that my college career was over. He came to my room and broke the news. He wanted the seniors to hear it from him, not social media.
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My initial reaction consisted of anger and sadness. It isn't fair. My career wasn't supposed to end like this. I was supposed to cut down the nets and make it to the NCAA Tournament. I was so excited for the postseason. It's my favorite part of the season and now it's not even going to happen. My senior year out of all years. It was a hard pill swallow. It didn't even feel real.
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Initially you're angry, you're upset, but then your emotions settle, and you began to think and react logically. COVID-19 is a virus that needs to be taken seriously. There are some things that are bigger than basketball and this is one of them. Yes, I love the game and wanted to finish my senior year, but the health and well-being of others is way more important than putting a ball in a basket. Conference USA and the NCAA made the correct decision, but the way this season ended still hurts.
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This was a special year, a special team. This team overcame obstacles and adversity and became something special. We had the opportunity to do something that hadn't happened in years for this program, and that was to get an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament. We were undefeated at home and we accomplished so much. We have a lot to be proud of. This virus cannot take away any of that. This was a year to remember.
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To WKU, THANK YOU! I will forever be grateful for my time on The Hill. Throughout my four years, I have grown a tremendous amount, not only as a player, but as a person. I always dreamed of playing college basketball and I'm glad I was able to live my dream at WKU. The Hill is truly a special place.
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To all my coaches, thank you for always believing in me and pushing me to be the best I can on and off the court. To my teammates, thank you for your encouragement, friendship, and memories I'll never forget. And lastly, to the Lady Topper fans, thank you for your support and encouragement. WKU will always hold a special place in my heart.
My Story: Women's Basketball's Sandra Skinner (March 26)
My Story: Men's Basketball's Taveion Hollingsworth (April 1)
My Story: Baseball's Ray Zuberer III (April 8)
My Story: Women's Golf's Mary Joiner (April 15)
My Story: Softball's Morgan McElroy (April 22)
My Story: Cross Country's Dedrick Troxell (April 29)
