Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Athletics

I never thought the day would come where I would have to write my senior salute.  It feels like just yesterday when I was a freshman trying out for the Saint Mary’s hockey team and now it’s time to say goodbye.   Throughout these four years there were countless good times.  I have made lifelong friends from this program, some who I can truly call my best friends for life.  There are many people I must acknowledge and thank throughout my time playing hockey for Saint Mary’s.  First and foremost, I must thank my family:

Dad, you are my number one fan and always have been.  You have always made me strive to be the best I could be.  Your support and guidance has brought me to where I am today, and I could always count on you to be at my games encouraging me to push harder and harder.  I love you so much and I am your “mini me”.

Mom, I could have the worst game and no matter what you always told me you thought I did great.  Just like Dad, you were always there watching me and cheering me on.  You encouraged me to follow my dreams and never give up, and I don’t know what I would ever do without you, I love you, Mom.

Julie, I know you were never a huge fan of coming to my games when I was younger, but I know if you could watch me play here every weekend you would.  I love you and I am glad you got to watch me play at least one weekend here.

Matt, I could always count on you to be at my games cheering me on.  Or better yet, after late night practices I always had you to come home too, including dinner on the table and a clean house!  Thank you for always being there for me after a long day of school and hockey, I love you.

Hutch, what can I say?  Without you I would not be at this level today.  You took me in and put me on my first travel team at the age of twelve, when I couldn’t even skate backwards.  You continued to work with me that entire year, and before you knew it I was the leading scorer on first line.  I wish you could have seen me play here at Saint Mary’s.

Laura, Amy, and Maddy: Of course my junior year has to be by far the best year I have ever had.  From the dance parties, to tornados, to mad dog, to techno, and all the other wild and crazy moments we had together will be something I treasure forever.

Laura, you and I have been through so many good times and bad, always being there for each other.  Australia and New Zealand, need I say more! I missed you this year, but you were always at my games and I thank you for that. 

Amy, you are my biggest fan.  If there was a way for you to get to the game you were there and if for some reason you weren’t, I had a phone call after the game to see how I did. 

Maddy, I am really going to miss you.  We had some good times at hockey and some crazy times in the old.  I wish you were still here playing at Saint Mary’s with me.

Jill and Stoner, my wonderful line mates.  I am truly going to miss playing with the both of you, don’t let anyone ever replace me!

Jill: my partner in crime.  You are my friend that will always be there on and off the ice, through the good times and the bad, always listening with an open heart.   We have had some wonderful times together and I am going to miss you. 

Stoner, we had some great times together at hockey.  I wish you would have been on the team since day one so I would have had more time to get to know you.

To my fellow seniors, Val and Jessie.  Val, it’s been four great years together.  We were friends not only on the ice, but off too.  I am going to miss you and I hope the best for you.  Always the 3H’s.  And Jessie, it has been great being on the team with you all four years, and I wish nothing but the best for you.

Hadley, Nicole, Kryzer, and Wiesner.  Hadley, you are so sweet and kind.  I don’t think I have ever seen you yell at anyone.  Stay sweet. Nicole, keep pulling out those Wayne Gretzky moves.  Kryzer, I admire that you stand up for yourself and that you don’t let anyone boss you around.  And Wiesner, I am going to miss you.  We had some good times together outside of hockey and I wish I still had another year to play with you.

Britt, Friedl, Francie, Knusdson, Cachey, and Ash.  You are by the far the best class to ever come in and I wish all of you would have come in my freshman year and not my senior year.  All of you are so fun and full of life.  I am going to miss all of you and wish you guys the best for hockey and the rest of your time at Saint Mary’s.  Not even being here a year, all of us had have some fun and crazy times together. 

To the rest of the team:  Continue to shine throughout the rest of your years here at Saint Mary’s.  Try every time you are on the ice because you never know when it can be your last. These past four years flew by, treasure every moment.

And last but not least, to all of my coaches:  Terry and Coach A, I have had the pleasure of being coached by you three out of my four years.  You have taught me to be a better person not only on the ice, but off too.  Tennie and Mondo, this has been your first year coaching me, but it was a great year.  Thanks for my abs of steal!