Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Athletics

Being able to compete at so many different levels of the game has been a blessing. Because, I know there are many girls that would kill for the opportunities I’ve had and the opportunity to play. I have been able to play for almost 20 years. Thankfully, I have had wonderful career; from winning back-to-back high school state championships, leaving my high school days with a 45-game win streak, playing in WBCA-All Star game, 2013-14 MIAC Conference Champions—the first time in nearly 60 years, playing in the MIAC Tournament Championship game, earning an at-large bid into the National tournament, and playing with some of the most talented girls in DIII basketball. There isn’t much more a girl can ask for.
    
There have been great times and there have been tough times. Basketball has been my outlet, it has shaped and defined me. Unfortunately, I knew there would come a time when I would have to say good-bye to the game; and, soon that time will come. Many people are relieved when they can finally say good-bye but I am reluctant. I am reluctant because there are so many more things to learn and so many more talented young ladies that I will never be able to play with. But, there is no other place I’d rather have my career come to a close and most importantly no other ladies that I would want to play my last games with. The remainder of the season has a lot in store for all of us and I am excited to see where my journey ends! All of these successes wouldn’t have been capable without the love and support of my family, friends and all of my basketball lovelies!
    
To my family and friends:
    
Mom and Dad, my number one fans, biggest role models, and dedicated chauffeurs—to both of you I cannot thank you enough for the endless hours you have spent in a set of bleachers. … I do not understand how you sit in those things so long. Mom and dad, thank you for being brutally honest when I didn’t have my best game, but always having my back. Mom and Dad, one of my biggest “thank yous” to you two is for not letting me transfer at semester freshman year, even though I wanted so badly to do so. I thank you for knowing that Saint Mary’s was where I belonged because without your stubbornness, I would have never realized you two were right. Thank you for showing me what it means to have a strong work ethic, not only on the court but in the classroom and on the job as well. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for your discipline, endless love, support, and encouragement. Mom, thank you for teaching me how to be compassionate, and for showing me that it is okay to make mistakes… as long as you learn from them. Thank you for living with me after my surgery for two weeks in the dorm, waiting on me hand and foot, and dad thanks for letting mom sneak away from the farm for a while, I know it wasn’t easy. Dad, thank you for teaching me what it means to work hard. Thank you for showing me that it is not okay to give up, and for teaching me to be the toughest in tough times. Thank you for all the post- basketball game phone calls. They’re always something I look forward after each game.  
    
Rachael, Amber, and Cassidy—my best friends, competition, and teammates. I am so proud to call you three my sisters. Thank you for the endless support in the gym and the classroom. Rachael, I give you all the credit for introducing me to the game I love so much. I don’t know if you remember but it goes all the way back to me trying to claim YOUR “Sprite” soda basketball as MY own. I think I finally won, who knows … Amber, thank you for deciding to run track at UW-LAX, because the past two years without you living so close would have been miserable! Thank you for making the trip many times to watch the games and hang out with your cool older sister. I am proud of the fact I am able to say that I played on championship teams with both you and Rachael by my side. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Sharing the court with you two was truly a blessing. Lastly, Cassidy. I am sorry that I never had the opportunity to play with you, I know it would have been awesome. Thank you for going on all the road trips when we were younger, I know you never had the choice but it still meant the world to me. You truly are the best youngest sister.
    
Ethan - Thank you for being my biggest fan. Thank you for making the hundreds of trips to Winona to spend the weekend with me, to watch me play and to play a couple pick-up games (he says he lets me beat him …). Thank you for being with me every step of the way. Believe it or not, you have taught me so much the past four years and have helped me become the player that I am. My career would not have been as great as it was without your love and support. Thank you.
    
To my roomies Caroline and Carly—Thank you for all your support this season. Caroline thank you for all the laughs, singing outbursts and dancing break downs, boiled over oatmeal happenings and for introducing me to McDonald freshly baked ch. Chip cookies (which may or may not be a good thing). Carly thanks for all the dinners you work so hard to prepare, thanks for sharing the love of shoes with me and thanks for having our backs when a referee makes a bad call. You two are truly amazing and this year would have never been the same if I wouldn’t have lived with you two! Thank you for being the real MVPs.
    
Saint Mary’s Faculty and Staff—I don’t think that there is any other place on the planet where love and support for Saint Mary’s athletics is felt so strongly. I want to give a special shout-out to the Professors in the Biology and Chemistry departments, your support is wonderful. I have always loved being in that building and will miss every one of you as my time as a student comes to a close. I would also like to thank Dr. Minnerath... man, when I was a Freshman you sure were intimidating… but asking you to be my advisor may have been the best decision I have made. Thank you for your support in the classroom and on the court, especially because the game is like a foreign language to you. Lastly, I would like to thank the athletic department and scoring table operators for all the behind-the-scenes work and unending support. You all have contributed so much to my journey here at Saint Mary’s. It has been an experience of a lifetime!  
    
To my coaches:
    
Pearson, Coach F, and Boese—Whether or not you may see this, I feel that it is necessary to thank you three for all you have done for this program and for me as a player! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the wonderful program you three worked so hard to build. (Even when I know it was hard to have a packer fan play for you!). I will never forget one of the first coaches-player meetings we had … we had to come in with a goal we wanted to achieve by the end of the season. I told you that mine was to be a part of the starting five. You told me that I needed a different goal and paused … longest two seconds of my life … I wanted to cry because so many thoughts went running through my mind (gosh Bridget, they think your goal is stupid, it’s unachievable, you’re done for, they can’t believe you just said that) ... then you preceded to say because you have already earned it and will be starting in the exhibition game against Winona St. It is hard to believe that was 4 years ago already and I am now a senior looking back on all the many things I have learned from you. Thank you for believing in me and giving me the opportunity of a life time. Pearson, thank you for sharing your passion and love of the game with me. I am inspired by your dedication, love and passion for this beautiful sport. Thank you for teaching me that being too hard on yourself isn’t a good thing, but finding a balance is what is important. Coach F, thank you for being such a great role model and sharing your love and knowledge of the game with me. Thank you for giving me the privilege to wear number #10, just like you did. I hope I’ve made you proud! Having the chance to play for you three was a privilege!
    
Coach P, Coach Crane, and Coach Kellen—I have to thank you for choosing Saint Mary’s women’s basketball, at such short notice, and believing in us when so few people did. Thank you for the countless hours of “catch-up” you three have had to do: from implementing a new offense, building relationships with the team, to scouting the conference. Coach P, you nailed your team meeting the first day you were brought to campus by saying blue was your favorite color! The team has been blessed with your hard work, love for the game and for us as individuals. Thank you again for believing in us when so few did. I am excited to finish out my senior year as a player for you and to see where the season takes us!     
    
Coach Sager, the most encouraging, most dedicated individual on campus—thank you for all your hard work in the weight room. I have never been stronger. You have helped make our team, along with all the other teams on campus, successful! I will miss the morning workouts, the heavy lifts and maintenance lifts you create for us. Your energy and enthusiasm is contagious and SMU is lucky to have such a wonderful and dedicated coach on campus!
    
To my trainers:
    
Jill, Nick, and Eric—you three have to be the most entertaining group of trainers in the MIAC! Thank you for the long and awkward hours you work, just to make sure we stay healthy and/or can return to play as soon as possible. If it wasn’t for you three I would probably be in a million pieces by now!
    
To those before me (my seniors)—Jess, Court, Jamie, Brit, Courtney, Darcy, Sara, Nast, Tay:
    
Each one of you taught me something that has made me a better teammate and individual. Jess, you were a great first senior to have and to look up to! Court, your energy and love for each individual on the team was something special, if I could be any one I would be you! Jamie, my lone packer fan. Oh how I was happy to have you around, especially when the Pack would beat the Viks! I never was able to get over the hump and call you Janice but, thank you for showing me little tricks to remembering plays. Brit, the best left handed three-point shooter that I was able to play with! Courtney and Darcy you two were they dynamic duo, without you two I would have never stayed sane. Courtney thank you for always being there for me, even after starting your job at MAC. I am blessed with your friendship and thankful your still always there for me! Nast, you made a huge contribution to the team when you decided to just go for it and play, I will love you forever for that! Tay, thank you for being such a competitor and telling your funny jokes. Lastly, the one and only “Princess Sara” I will never forget the countless Sara hair flips, your determination and love for the game. I am thankful for our friendship and I am thankful for your continuing love and support! This program was lucky to have such talented ladies play and help create such a legacy!
    
To my Senior loves:
    
Haley and Micaela - what can I say, what a ride we have had and a rollercoaster it has been: conference tournament freshman year, nationally ranked and an appearance in the national tournament sophomore year, what adversity we overcame our junior year, and senior year we’ve had one of the greatest years yet and it isn’t even over! I can’t wait to see what we leave for this program. I am happy to have had such a wonderful journey with you three by my side… and I cannot say it enough but I have the two best looking seniors in the MIAC. Haley and Mic, thank you for sticking it out and pushing through the highs and lows, thank you for being my biggest competition and greatest supporters. Thanks for helping make this team a great piece of team and there are no other women I’d rather lead this team with and finish off my career with!
    
To my Junior loves:
    
Emma, Sam, and Audie—I want to tell you how proud I am of each one of you. You three have come so far and I am so happy that I have had the opportunity to play three years with you all! Remember to be proud of where you came from and what you have accomplished, proud of where you are going, and remember to have fun. This next year is going to come and go so fast, don’t let it catch you off guard. Enjoy every minute you spend in the weight room, every minute you don’t want to be riding the bike for one of Sager’s work-outs and enjoy every minute you spend on that court with your teammates. I have loved watching you three grow as players. Your basketball knowledge, your strength and your fight have all matured so much since you step on campus in 2013. Emma, oh how I admire your composure, and your ball handling skills—oh, and your quickness. Thank you for being such a competitor. You have made me become a better basketball player for having to compete with you, day in and day out. I am sorry for getting into foul trouble … I only do it because I know you can handle it. Sam, you have come so far and you may be the hardest worker I have ever had the privilege to play with. I love your work ethic and your competitiveness. Thank you giving it your all day in and day out of practice! I will miss having you as my laundry buddy, no one will be as wonderful as you. Audie… to be honest I was not happy when Pearson told me there was going to be another Brigette on the team. I figured she wouldn’t be cool, but turns out playing with another Brigette wasn’t half bad! You turned out to be pretty darn cool! ? We all know this season has been tough for you because of the injuries you have had to fight through but, I have never met someone as tough as you and I admire that! I am happy to know that I had the opportunity to play with the best Bridgette there was to every be! Lastly, Raelynn. I could never forget about you! For those who may not know Raelynn, was asked to join the team because we were low on numbers. I don’t really know if she knew what she was getting into, especially after not playing competitively for almost three years. She missed the first two weeks of practice and then suffered from an ankle sprain, she had a lot of catching up to do. And let me tell you she has done one hell of a job! No one could have done it better! Raelynn, thank you for stepping up and deciding to be a part of this team! I love your hard work, your energry, and the fight you bring day in and day out to practice. You bring something special to this team. Thank you for making each and every one of us better every day! I may not have had three years to play with you but I am sure happy and blessed that I was given the opportunity to play with you for 1 year! I wish I had just a few more! I will miss all four of you next year but don’t ever forget that I will be supporting you all day in and day out!    
    
To my lone Sophomore love and life-long dance partner:
    
Lex—like I said, you are my life-long dance partner, there is no one in the world that I love breaking it down with more than you! Thank you for being my cardinal buddy and teaching me so many things! The moment I stepped on the court with you a year ago for our first buddy workout I could see the talent and your capabilities radiating off of you. It is a blessing to have someone like you on the court to play with and it is great feeling that when I pass you the ball at the arch, you are going to drain a big three for the team! Please please please believe in your talents, play to your strengths and don’t forget why you love playing this glorious game. I will miss playing the game with such a talented young lady and those to come will be lucky to have a great leader to look up to!
    
To my Freshman loves:
    
Kirsten, Mary, Kenzi, and Brandi—you four have made this season so wonderful. You four make up the best freshman class to come to SMU (besides class of 2016), but don’t tell the others that I said that. You four young ladies work so hard, are so talented and have so much to offer. You guys have made the upper classmans’ jobs easy! So thank you! Kirsten, my cardinal buddy, continue to be a hard worker, I know this season has not gone as planned for you but continue working hard on your rehab and keep winning the little battles, it makes the recovery process somewhat enjoyable. I know that you will be back next year stronger than ever and I can’t wait to see you excel. My little Mare Bare, I will miss playing with such a fireball, always going, always finishing plays, and always competing. Keep working hard and remember to smile and to have fun. Kenzi, Kenzi, Kenzi (“slow-clap” beat) thank you for being my training room buddy (not that we want to be in the training room, you just helped make it bearable), keep working hard and you will continue to do so many great things for this team! Brandi, the last of my freshman loves, there isn’t much to say other than I love playing with you! And I love the dynamic you bring to this team! It is so great to have the privilege to play with you. So talented and such a hard worker, I love it! It is sad that I only get one year to play with such a great group of ladies like you, but I there isn’t a better group of freshman to end my career playing with, so thank you!
    
Thank you all for the many memories that I will be able carry with me forever. I am excited and ready to be cheering you all on next year and can’t wait to see how everyone will grow as athletes and individuals! You all will be my forever cardinal family and lovies! I am grateful to have had the honor to play with so many talent and loving people, to be coached by great coaches, and to have had the opportunity to play at such a wonderful university. Saint Mary’s will always be my home away from home and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I am happy and couldn’t be any prouder to have been a part of the Cardinal Way Legacy.