Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Athletics

It's an honor to be here today and to be celebrating senior day with a group that I consider some of my closest friends. With that, I would like to begin by saying a few words about this class as a whole as well as thanking all of them for taking me in as an honorary member of their class as I continue on this ‘super senior’ journey. Tayler, Emily, Jordan, and Lex have all been here since my sophomore year - their freshman year - and that makes me so happy. We've been on a long, hard working journey together since day one and that's pretty cool. Mack and Al came later and we couldn't have been happier to welcome two new people to our SMUVB family. They've been great additions and I couldn't imagine our team without them. I would like to point out that in 2012, this classes freshman year, our team finished 9th in the MIAC with an overall record of 14-14. Last year, we finished 4th in the MIAC with an overall record of 20-13, and we have already seen some amazing early successes this season. Just those numbers alone show how hard this class has worked since day one to compete and make this program stronger. Each and every one of them brings something to this family that is unique and critical to our success. I would like to say thank you to each of them for always pushing me to be the best teammate and competitor I can be. There are many more people to thank for contributing to this teams success as well as my own.
    
A large part of any success I've been able to have here at Saint Mary's is due to my amazing family. Mom, thank you for everything you’ve done. There is no way to put into words how thankful I am for the countless things you have ever done for me. Thank you for being supportive, encouraging me, pushing me, driving to tournaments, bringing me food (so important), and always be there for me when I need you. Dad, thank you for making me laugh and always pushing me to be the best I can be. Thank you for driving to matches (some across the country), watching matches online when you couldn’t be there, bringing me food, and being so supportive. Amanda, you have the biggest heart and have inspired me to always strive to be the best teammate I can be. Your kindness paired with your ability to hold others accountable to a high standard is always something I have strived to do. Nicole, the way you compete has always amazed me. Your ability to be completely pissed off, but also calm is uncanny. Thank you for your support and making me a better competitor. Smam, I don’t even know where to begin. The simple words thank you do not even begin to explain how much any of my success is because of you. You push me harder than anyone I know and you always give me the tough love I need. You are the first person to hear all my rants and I would like to say thank you not only for having the patience to listen but also the wisdom to tell me to shut up and just work hard. You make me a better competitor and teammate each and every day, and I would not be here without you. Thank you for pushing me.
    
To all of my past and current teammates, thank you, for each and every one of you have made me a better competitor as well as teammate. Erika and Ku, coming in as a freshman, you showed me what leadership looks like as a senior. You each worked extremely hard and were so kind and welcoming. Thank you for putting up with me as an annoying freshman. Cathy, Carissa, Tara, Sabrina, and Megan. Thank you all for showing me what it really meant to compete and work hard. You all set such a high standard of what it means to give to your teammates, thank you. Lexi, thank you for being such an amazing teammate, leader, and friend. You have an unreal amount of grit, and set the tone for what it means to compete hard every day. Thank you for everything you gave to our team. Bunne, thank you for being such a supportive teammate and leader. You are so funny and have taught me so much. Molls - here is my 10%. You’re great, and I wish we could have competed together for four years instead of three. Thank you for always (trying) to keep me in my place and giving me (again, trying) just as much sass as I give you. I could not imagine these past five years without you, your friendship, guidance, and your support. Mary and Janae, thank you for being such a consistent part of this program for four years. Your guys’ amazing attitudes go unmatched and I am not surprised that you are both already doing amazing things just a few months after graduation. Tayler, thank you for being such a great friend and teammate. You always challenge my sass and keep me in place whenever I complain about anything and I could not be more thankful for that. I’ve enjoyed being able to compete with you these past four years and I couldn’t imagine this team without you. Lex, thank you for being an amazing friend, teammate, competitor, and roomie. Your grit and ability to fight harder on the court than anyone I know is unreal. Your tenacity will take you far and I cannot wait to keep competing with you when we play in grass tournaments this summer. Thank you for always pushing me to give more than what I think I am capable of. Emily, you make me laugh every day. Your humor and ability to take things lightly is exactly what our team needs. Your positivity encourages everyone on the team and makes us a better team every day. Jord, your ability to work hard for every single ball is unreal. You have made me better and our team better every day just by being you, thank you. Mack, so happy you decided to play vball. This team would not have been the same without you. Your toughness, resilience, selflessness, and humility are unmatched and they make our team better every single day. You always set the bar high and are always working to make your teammates better. Thank you for being a great example for what every competitor and teammate should strive for. Al, thanks for being a great friend, teammate, and roommate. Playing OH with you has been such a treat the past three years. You push me everyday to be a better outside, and I can’t thank you enough for that. Murbs, you are so funny. Your ability to compete extremely hard but still find a way to make everyone laugh is so unique. Please keep being yourself because you’re pretty awesome. Also, thanks for being such a good blocker because it has made my life so much easier. Moe, I really have appreciated playing middle back with you and serve receiving with you. You have made me a better passer and server every day at practice just by going and getting after it day after day. I can’t wait to see what you continue to do this year and next season. Maddie, thank you for always working so hard and striving to always get better. Your athleticism is unreal and your cheerful and positive attitude make our team better every day - thank you. Cass, it’s weird to think I’ve known you longer than anyone else on our team, but I am really happy about it. It has been so cool to watch you develop as a competitor and teammate these past four years I’ve known you. I’ve really appreciated your ability to compete hard and still always keep things light in practices and matches. Keep working hard everyday to be the best competitor and teammate you can be. Clare, you are such a hard worker and an amazing libero. Thank you for always working hard, having an amazing attitude, and pushing me to be a better passer every day. You work ethic will take you so far in life and I look forward to seeing what you can do. I also hope that one day I get to play sand with you. Britt, it’s been so fun to see you develop into a stronger setter since you’ve been here. Your hard work is paying off and I can’t wait to see where it takes you in the future. Also, you should talk more because you’re really funny. Sara, just like Britt it has been fun seeing you improve in just a year. Your athleticism is crazy and I think everyone on the team will forever remember you drilling the ball on the 7 ft. line in front of Hamline’s libero for a long time. Keep working hard and doing your thing because you have a bright future. Freshman - my one piece of advice to all of you is to work as hard as you can now because it’ll make your last couple years much easier, more enjoyable, and of course it makes this team better. Brandi, you’re a great attacker. Your ability to get kills over and over again has amazed me. Your work ethic and athleticism are unmatched. Keep working hard and competing every day; very good things will come. Also, thanks for being a great game day pepper partner. Ciara, I’ve really enjoyed playing with you this year. Your ability to see the other side of the court and hit shots everywhere and anywhere on the court is unreal. Also, keep serve receiving out of right back and you’ll be passing dimes from there before you know it. Jordyn, it’s been fun playing outside with you this year. Your ability to hit a hard ball and mix in shots is a great asset to this team. Gloria thanks for being a great locker buddy and not being too messy! Keep working hard, and ripping the ball from the right side. You’re a great player and I can’t wait to see what you do in upcoming years. B and Leah, you guys are both amazing middles. Both of you have amazing strengths - keep working hard and you will do amazing things.
    
Coaches (Lester, Jackie, Rohde) thank you for all the hard work, time, and patience you have put into making this program so successful - I know there is so much you all do that no one even knows about, so thank you for your unmatched dedication. Coach Lester, thank you for putting up with me for five (I am sure they were long) years. I know there were many times I came up short in regard to being a perfect teammate or perfect athlete, so I thank you for your patience. I also want to say thank you for all the work you put into this improving this program and myself individually. Furthermore, thank you for having such high standards. Knowing that you believe that I am always capable of more and that you have faith in me, means a lot; thank you. Jackie, thank you for pushing us. Your high standards make us better competitors each and every day. Your deep passion for winning and competing no matter what has definitely given this team a spark during matches and practices when we especially needed it. Rohde, thank you for making this team better. Your encouragement and drive for us to always stay disciplined - especially in defense - has had such an impact on our team.
    
I’ve also had some great mentors along my volleyball journey I would like to thank. Jenna, thank you for always being there for me. I seriously don’t know what I would do without you and I can’t say thank you enough for the continued support, guidance, and love you have sent my way. Kokoro Family (RT, Jared, Laura, and everyone else), thank you for giving me tools to be successful in volleyball and life. Having you all train me as an athlete as well as a coach has taught me so much about how to be a stronger competitor and teammate in so many ways. Thank you for your wise words and guidance and for hlping me to get to where I am today.
    
Lauren, thank you for always being so supportive and coming to matches. I don’t know anyone that gets more excited and happy when we win than you; thank you, sis. Nast and Court, you’ve been some of our greatest fans these past years and I couldn’t thank you enough for coming to matches and sending me good luck texts. Aby, I couldn’t thank you enough for being there for me when I need you and always being level headed enough to give me great advice. Love you, sis.
    
Matt/Coach Sagar, thank you for making our team, as well as every team at Saint Mary’s, better. The hard work you dedicate to us has not gone unnoticed. Your desire to make us stronger competitors, physically and mentally, has made the biggest difference. Thank you for also answering all of my random and stupid questions I always have. Most of all, thank you for the never-ending encouragement and support you give us.
    
Bill, thank you for all the work you put into my rehab and helping me when I was injured. Also, thanks for putting up with my sass for four years and dishing it back at me. Jill, I've really enjoyed having you as a trainer this year. Thank you for working hard for this team and all of our athletic teams.
    
Athletic staff - Donny, Nikki, Toni and the rest of the Athletic department, thank you for all of your hard work. The time you put into our athletic department is unreal and we appreciate you so much. Thank you for making Saint Mary’s such an amazing school to compete at.