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Monday, March 23, 2020
Marlee Angelucci, West Virginia Wesleyan (Track & Field)
Over the last 4 years at Wesleyan there are so many memories that will continue with me the rest of my life. Strangers became friends and friends became family. Although we didn’t know our last meet was the last time we would spike up, run down that runway, and hear that gun go off for the last time I can say that because of my team I can be at peace with it. We treat every meet like the last and my team is always there, lining the track or runway and cheering you on like it’s the Olympics and I’m forever thankful for that. If there’s any advice I can give to all athletes it’s to appreciate the moments because before you know it the race will be over and it will be gone.
Lovely Lopez, West Virginia Wesleyan (Lacrosse)
Ten years. I gave my life to this sport for 10 years, and it wasn’t an easy 10 years. I endured cuts, scrapes, turf burns, broken bones all for the sport who had open opportunities I had never foreseen. When the chance to play lacrosse in college arose, I knew it was the chance of a lifetime to get to play the sport one last time. Never did I think that the last go around would be cut short. The “last” bus ride with my teammates, the “last” “GO BOBCATS”, the last game day locker room warm-up- never did I expect it to be my actual last. This sport gave me so much. It gave me a family away from my family. It gave me some of my best friends in college. It gave me some of the greatest memories. The greatest of all- it gave me the best lessons that have shaped me into who I am today. I had to learn that if i wanted something, i had to work for it. If I wanted to be better, i needed to practice the way I played. I needed to be a better me. And it for sure gave me that. Through the numerous coaches, teams, and players I have had the pleasure of playing for/with, I’ve taken a little bit of each and every single one of them with me. Because of lacrosse, I am not the same girl I was 10 years ago. And it all started because I picked up that stick. Thank you West Virginia Wesleyan for giving me that chance to let little 12 year old me pursue my dream of playing in college. Thank you lacrosse, for molding me who I am today.
 


Thursday, March 19, 2020
Megan Miles, West Virginia Wesleyan (Acro & Tumbling)
In August I had no idea how much this sport would mean to me. Learning a brand new sport was hard at first, but my coaches and teammates made it the best time of my life. We are more than just a team, we are a family. Being a college athlete is the biggest blessing I could ever ask for, and even though I am only a freshman, this sport has already given me so much. To my teammates, thank you for being my sisters, and encouraging me and helping me through everything this season (and also laughing at me for tripping over my shoes during conditioning). We have worked so hard this year, just for it to be taken away so quickly breaks my heart, but everything happens for a reason and I can't wait so see what we accomplish in the years to come. To my coaches, thank you for pushing me and for understanding me. You guys do so much for our team and we love you!

Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Pat Snively, Fairmont State (Swim Coach)
What normally is a busy time of year with the crossover between winter sports and spring sports came to a screeching halt late last week and our sense of normalcy is now more an uncertainty of what comes next.

The week started out with a big change in that we were moving forward without our leader, athletic director Chad Fowler, who had moved on for another opportunity. We were also very excited about the men’s basketball team earning a bid for the Regional Tournament and the opportunity to continue their season. Spring sports were down south playing against teams from all over the country and preparing for conference play. And, my teams were ready to hit the pool again after spring break for their out-of-season training.

But by Wednesday, I think we all began to realize how serious an issue this COVID-19 might become; perhaps not in terms of how dangerous it might be, but how it might affect our normal lives and certainly disrupt our teams. We received word that our Spring Break would be extended another week and we began to wonder if we might be able to continue with face-to-face classes after that or if our spring sports would be able to compete for much longer.

On Thursday morning, I stepped onto the bus to wish the Acrobatics and Tumbling team good luck and good health as they traveled to Quinnipiac to compete. Soon after I stepped off and they departed, everything began to shut down.

Our A&T team received word around three hours into their trip that their competition was canceled. Then, the NCAA canceled all of its Winter Championships, including our men’s basketball team’s Regional Tournament. The Division II Swimming and Diving Championships came to an end halfway through day two. Then, all of our spring sports came to an abrupt end. And just like that, the Feaster Center and Duvall-Rosier Field fell silent for the first time since winter break.

I hate this for our student-athletes. I hate this for our coaches. Many of us had the opportunity to finish out the season…many did not. Luckily, some of these individuals will have the chance to regain their season of eligibility. Some will graduate and move on. I think the tough part for me as a coach would be to deliver such difficult news and then send my team home without the ability to build them back up or have them back together at practice. It is certainly a confusing time for all.

I do, however take comfort in the fact that student-athletes are a resilient bunch. The stories I’ve read on the MEC site, the things I’ve seen on social media and the feedback I’ve received from student-athletes and coaches through this so far has been uplifting. The message has been consistent: this is difficult, but it is for the greater good.

We are bound to see difficulties and setbacks in our athletic careers. I’ve certainly seen plenty in over two decades of coaching. But, if we choose to look beyond these at the big picture or the opportunity to begin again renewed, I think we are better prepared for life beyond sports. We first need to get beyond our default setting that tells us that we are the only ones affected. I think our student-athletes (from all of our institutions) get that. I think our coaches do a great job of getting buy-in to team and big picture and compassion for others. This is why Athletics are important. And times like this call for us to be a team. Stay well.

Dezirae Middleton, West Liberty (Golf)
My golf team is much more then a team it’s a family! I have met so many great people along the way on and off the course! I have created a bond with my team mates they are now like sisters to me!
Alessandro Trujillo, Davis & Elkins
It's sad to hear that the coronavirus has affected everyone worldwide, especially those who are healthy and active every day. The one thing I will from Elkins, West Virginia is seeing the majestic, magnificent, misty mountains, ever-flowing rivers, still forests, and noise from people and machines bustling about with their schedules. I will especially miss every part Davis & Elkins College: attending all my classes along with support and study hours in the Naylor Center, going to swim practice with my rowdy, funny teammates but above all, I will miss refreshing Sunday 8 pm Chapel services. However, my parents, especially my dad said to me that life is very complex as it brings happiness and sorrows unexpectedly, but knowing that God is with us helps us to cope with all low and high obstacles; with faith in Him and our mental endurance, God makes us overcome these challenges and obstacles turning them into good news, but it takes time and patience to reach these good news. My older brother Luciano also added in saying that experience comes from exactly what the word means: experiences. That means good and bad ones. It is up to you what to do with them and turn them into something positive and build your own resilience and lessons you can pass on to others later. My words to D&E faculty and staff, students, and student-athletes is this, “Be Safe. Be Strong. Stand tall, united and lead like Saint John says in verses eighteen to twenty-four in the third chapter of his first epistle with love in the form of action.” Senator nation is loved, but God has 10,000 reasons to love 3,000 times more.

Bella Posey, West Virginia Wesleyan (Softball)
Softball has always been something that has been there for me, regardless of what else was going on in the outside world, until now. It is hard to wrap my mind around that in a matter of days everything our team was anticipating and excited for has been canceled. Coming in as a freshman this year, I was anxious to get started and meet all of my new teammates. And before I knew it, they became family. The bond between every team is unique, but I truly believe ours is special. Every person on the team brings something different to the table, and we all push each other to get better every lift, every conditioning, and every practice. But what I really think makes our team close is the way we genuinely care about each other, not just during softball but outside of it too. Our season getting cut short has been heartbreaking, and leaving each other so suddenly has been equally as hard.

Our team went to Florida for the Spring Games the first week of March, and the things that stood out most to me was how hard we fight, the potential we have, and how resilient we are. None of us realized it would be our last time playing together this season, and the feeling of having our season taken away is gut wrenching to say the least. But not being able to play only adds more fuel to the fire so to speak, and I know our team cannot wait to be back and to compete again.

To my coaches, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be at Wesleyan and to play for such a great program. Thank you for pushing all of us to be our best, and for all of your time and effort.

To my teammates, I am so grateful to have gotten so close to all of you in such a short time. I miss you guys already, and I cannot wait to be back and see all of our hard work and determination pay off. The comeback will be greater than the setback, I have no doubt. I love you guys.

What team? Bobcats.

Michele Suessine (Kate-Lynn Sidenstecker’s mom)       
To Mountain East Conference (MEC), 

I am writing to you today to say how sad I am, but yet how blessed I am. My daughter Kate-Lynn Sidenstecker had graduated high school a year early, in May 2018, to be on the inaugural Acro & Tumbling Team at Urbana University. She made the decision to give up her senior year in high school and all that goes with the senior year, to be part of history in the making with this new emerging sport. She was so excited to be part of history! Unfortunately UU’s A&T inaugural year did not hold a complete team during their first season, but that did not stop this small but mighty team. Their team only had seven players on the mat during their first year, so they were unable to compete the team heat, yet they competed wholeheartedly in all the other heats at every competition. Urbana University Acro & Tumbling Team’s second season started out much better. They had a full team this season, so they finally were able to compete in all the heats at a competition during this season.

The season was definitely a challenge, specially since the UU A&T Team was voted in last place in the MEC preseason poll. Fortunately that did not detour this team’s spirit, confidence or talent, it just fueled their fire more! They were determined to prove the preseason poll wrong! They started at the bottom and climbed their way up towards the top with every competition they competed. That is why I am so sad...the what if’s ... the what could be, what could have been! Could it of been possible for this underdog team to come out on top...could they have made history this year by going from the bottom to the top in one season? No one will know now because of how the season abruptly ended.

UU’s A&T Coach, Courtney Stack, believed in these athletes, and these athletes put their all in for their coach. This team and their coach are an amazing bunch, they mesh together perfectly, they are in total sync with one another. This here is why I am so blessed. Even though this year ended abruptly, and we will never know the answers to the what if’s.... I know my daughter has an amazing team to return to after all this hectic, and craziness ends. I know she still will be part of this history in the making, because I know that is so important to her and her teammates. So farewell for now MEC, we will all see you next season hopefully, and with more fire in our souls then we had this season!
Madison Michels, Davis & Elkins (Track & Field/Cross Country)
“Don't be afraid of your fears. They're not there to scare you. They're there to let you know that something is worth it.” -C. Joybell C.

Belief in ourselves and others believing in us is what drives us as athletes to take that extra step towards success. If we do not believe in our abilities, we will not make goals to strive for. If you do not have a support system rallying behind you, it weakens you mentally. If you believe in the worst, it will become a reality.

My first year as an athlete in the MEC was all about learning how to believe in myself, trust my team, and realize how motivational having people who believe you can do great things. Upon arriving at D&E, I was a part of a fairly young cross country team of mostly freshmen girls. None of us really knew each other or what we could potentially do together but we had a coach who believed that we were capable of great things from day one of preseason camp. Coach Pyles told us in our first team meeting at the pavilion back in August how he could see our team scoring a top-five team finish at Regionals this fall if we would put in the work. While this goal was making us excited, he also gave the extra incentive that became my driving force for the fall, the top three teams in the region qualify for nationals.

My belief in myself was not as strong at the beginning of the season as Coach had for us. In high school, I had bad luck with cross country and staying injury-free. In fact, my freshman college cross country season would be my first season since junior year of high school due to a season-long injury my senior year. I did not think I could finish a season healthy, I mentally beat myself up after workouts that did not go as planned, I lost two weeks of training in September due to bronchitis. I did not want to miss the opportunity of letting my team down if I was injured and wanted to help my team achieve our big goals.

That was when I realized, I needed to see others believing in me to believe in myself. Coach Pyles had us excited to chase big goals, so that's what we did. Our team had three goals; win MEC, top three at regionals, then top 25 at nationals. His excitement for our young team and belief in our potential helped us all reach major personal PRs, win MEC, place second at regionals, and finish the season with a 29th place team finish. To do this, our team learned how to train together, push each other, and provide support for each other to accomplish our goals. We had to learn we are no longer accountable for our personal success but also for the success of our team.

During this year, I also saw the MEC as a whole grow more competitive and supportive within the conference. During high school, I was a big fan of the MEC because of its hometown feel of being a primarily West Virginia based conference. It was exciting to be at Wheeling jogging the course the day before MEC and getting to see and talk to people from other teams who I ran against in high school. The feeling reminds me of the high school state meet feeling, getting to race against your running role models from high school and the exciting atmosphere where everyone knows each other from several years of competitive history.

Having this kind of belief within and around me mentally helped me stay on track and accomplish the goals I had for the season. I remember after finishing at nationals with a PR, I ran up to my mom and all I could do was cry. I finished a season with everything I had and I believed in myself as an athlete. The emotions and the hunger for more is my driving force with training and it all started with belief.

But with belief, there is also learning to have faith even when things do not go as planned. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic and the suspension of spring sports, I have seen the belief waver on our team due to the loss of a track season. There was so much excitement for a big season and in an email sent out on a Thursday evening by the athletic department, all of us were crushed. I think it is critical now more than ever to believe in each other and trust that regardless of the outcome, in the end, it will all work out.

Whether it is your first college sports season or your last year of eligibility, losing one season does not mean you are stripped of your identity as an athlete. While the goals will not be able to be reached and it may seem as if the work was put in for nothing, you are still an athlete. Your coach wanted you to be a part of your team and you did the work to better yourself. Losing a season is a horrible emotion to tackle, but remember, millions of student-athletes across the country are in your shoes.

Do not be consumed in the panic or the sadness with this loss. Reflect on the good times. Hug your teammates and listen to their perspectives. Talk to your coaches and thank them for believing in you. Reach out to old high school teammates and your local sports community and connect through this. But most of all, believe in your abilities as an athlete and believe that you will heal and grow from this.

Stay safe and wash your hands... 

Dylan Frye, West Virginia Wesleyan Alum (Baseball)
I graduated from WV Wesleyan in 2018 and was an outfielder for the Bobcats Baseball program. I came in from juco in 2016 and Wesleyan was ultimately from 3rd college. I have met many people along my baseball journey and they have been amazing and friends for life at every college I played baseball at. The guys that were already there when I came in immediately took me under their wings and accepted me into the Bobcat family immediately. Some of my best friends I met at Wesleyan. They took a shot at juco kid from small town West Virginia. Baseball has and always will be my love. Thank you to WVWC and the Mountain East Conference for allowing me to call Buckhannon, WV my home away from home for 2 years. Through the ups and downs, I’m a Bobcat for life. To all my brothers in the orange and black, I love you all and keep your heads high.

Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Rhetta Persinger, Davis & Elkins (Softball)
This experience has been so eye opening. It’s always talked about playing or practicing like it’s your last time, but it’s never put into perspective until it’s really taken from you. Being a senior, it’s hard to swallow knowing that there are a lot of things I’m not going to get experience one last time. I had some of my “last’s” without knowing they were my last’s. Thank you to my team for making this heartbreaking time bearable. My coach for all the love and words needed to get through and understand what’s happening. My family for being there, even if I’m not happy about it. My senior class for all the memories and experiences I never thought would end so soon. I appreciate you girls and what you have done for me personally. You all are my rock and o would not change anything in the last three years I had with you. I wish I was able to spend more time, but it is out of our hands. I love you all.

Lexus Ficca, West Liberty (Acro & Tumbling)
West Liberty University started the Acrobatics and Tumbling program my freshman year back in 2017. Through my eyes I have watched this team start from barely not knowing anything to ranked #2 preseason for the MEC! Walking into my junior year with two new coaches was a total different atmosphere from the past. We have recruited some talented amazing girls that made our roster spark. I have never seen a team put in so much blood, sweat, and tears starting way back in August. What we do is hard on our bodies but together we help each other succeed. This season was based on goals we have made and it’s heartbreaking to say we weren’t able to finish what we started. We are more than a student on campus, we are student athletes that are also in other curricular activities. Some athletes like me use their sports to cope with their struggles and anxiety. I was one of those students that loved practice and competing just to take my mind off of the more stressful things I had going on. Next year, I will be a senior and my lesson that I learned this year was to not take anything for granted or the precious time I had on the mat. Lastly, my heart goes out to all of the seniors in any sport that won’t be able to finish their last year strong.

Cooper Brady, Concord (Track & Field/Cross Country)
I didn’t expect to have to be typing a farewell in March, but here I am. We don’t always know why things happen the way they do, but I do know that God’s plan for me is great, and I might have to adjust my plan to fit into his. So, after 4 years of sweat and tears, long runs, mile repeats and muddy races, it’s finally time to hang up the ol’ spikes.

I wanted to start by saying thank you to everyone who has influenced me throughout all these years, starting with Coach Howell in 8th grade after our conference meet at East Liverpool. He said, “I think you would really enjoy running Cross Country, and you’d probably be pretty good at it too.” I don’t know much about the being good at it, but man I sure have enjoyed it. I wish I would’ve listened to him rather than waiting until my junior year to start running again.

To Coach Cox- there aren’t enough pieces of paper in the world to fully express how thankful I am for this man. From our first encounter in the Mtn Lion Room way back in 2015, to our final van ride back from Myrtle Beach, and all the songs we have sung in between. Other than being a great coach, he has been my role model, my second father, my mentor, and most importantly the very definition of the man I want to be. He would give you the shirt right off his back and the meal from his plate if he thought you needed it. Anyone who knows him would agree. He has taught me how to be a man. And for that, I can never truly repay him, so Coach, Thank you. For everything. I hope I can be half the man you are.

To my Teammates (Past and Present)- I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for you all. I’ve said over and over that if it weren’t for you, I would’ve dropped out of college by now. But because of you, I have made lasting friendships and bonds that can never be broken. Between the bus rides, the late-night Taco Bell runs, the snowball fights, the tears, the injuries, failures and triumphs. It has been a ride for sure. I wish I could thank each and everyone of you for the impact you’ve had on my life, but for now, I just want to say keep your heads up high, I’ll be watching you, I love you and thank you.

To Concord- Thank you to all my professors for working with me and accommodating the schedules of me and all the athletes here. Between the practices, and the meets, you’ve been riding along side us this whole time. And without you working with us and being generous with few deadlines here and there, I may have failed out by now.

To my family and friends - the hours of driving and the stand-sit-stand-sit of a track meet. The sprints across fields to catch that next glimpse out of the XC course, the pictures taken and shared, the encouragement through success and defeat. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

These last 4 years have been nothing short of amazing, from practices, to meets, to conference championships, and last place finishes. The ups and downs I have experienced shaped me into who I am today. And if you’re reading this, teammate, or competitor, the chances of you having some impact on me, are pretty likely, so thank you.

God, I just want to thank you for the opportunity to do something only 2% of the world can say they did, thank you for giving me the chance to be a college athlete, and thank for working in me throughout these last four years to bring me closer to you. Thank you for everything you have done and will do in my life. Amen.

Once a Mountain Lion, Always A Mountain Lion.

Anthony Napoleon, West Virginia Wesleyan (Baseball)
I came in as a freshman that didn’t know many people and this became my family and I knew that teams could be like that but us having the 34 games we had left taken from us really hurt because the love that we had for each other was unmatched and I am going to miss them all this summer and especially the seniors who took me in and showed me the ropes and became some of my best friends, it just really sucks and I miss it.
 

Monday, March 16, 2020
Lexi Sirk, Glenville State (Track & Field/Cross Country)
As I sit here writing this, there is a sharp, piercing void in my chest. The month of March has always been a prime time for me ever since third grade. March meant winter was breaking, spring sports were beginning and summer was on the way. March determined that no matter what emotion I felt, I could run them onto the track.

I grew up in a small town— population of 70 to be exact. My high school was conjoined from pre-k-12 and we had roughly 200 students. I never could envision myself being a collegiate athlete. Honestly, I was a small town kid without any dreams. I just woke up every day and did what made my heart happy. I think kids that grow up in small towns know that there will be people that are simply going to hate you for no reason and tell you that you can’t do something.... just because. This humbles me. Even though I never had a sound plan, I reached high school and went into track meets without even realizing the potential I had. I think more kids should realize that before they see that there is someone out there who is “bigger and better”, they first should see what they personally have to offer. Anything can be perfected with hard work.

Before I knew it, I signed to Glenville State College for track and my life changed for the better.

I’ve never met such dedicated coaches and athletes. Our programs is one of the top of DII in the state, and I’m not simply saying that because I go to school here. We put work in on breaks when other kids are at home, we practice for 2 hours at a time in freezing temperatures, crucial punishment when we aren’t acting responsible, we spend hours in the weight room... all to make it worth it. Our coaches are really personal, too. If you need help, they’re there. Whether that’s on the track or off, they have your back. What I enjoy most about my team is how close we are. We are a family. Whether we are bickering or not, we are never without a teammate and that warms my heart the most. I’d say this season was my best one— even though it was the shortest. I’ve made strong connections with our seniors and coaches and realized what we truly can achieve as a team if we just put in the work and BELIEVE!

Glenville is home to me. I’m lost, I’m alone, and I’m saddened that our seniors are lost without their last season and they’re being forced to leave us. I know this isn’t the end and this is for our best interest, but track is my life. My coach always tells us that we have four years. Just four years to dedicate our heart and soul to him and the program and I didn’t take that lightly. I know that when we all step on that track again, nothing will be able to stop us. Nothing at all. Maybe a setback is what we needed to realize how blessed we truly are to have such a gift. Gods plan is the best plan and I won’t question it.

Theresa Evangelista, West Liberty (Acro & Tumbling)
Heartbreaking. There are no words to describe what I am feeling right now but heartbreaking is a good way to start. I never would have imagined that something I love so much was taken away in what it felt like a blink of an eye. What most people do not realize is that these athletes do not just dedicate themselves to the countless practices, morning workouts and lifts but we dedicate ourselves to extra practice and extra workouts, as well. We do all of this to be the best we can, not just for ourselves but for our teammates and our coaches. All these countless efforts we made this season took lots of time. My favorite part of acrobatics and tumbling is competing. It is why I work so hard because I love the adrenaline of competing, for me it is a feeling that is unmatched. There is so much pain and tears that athletes have to go through in order to get to the season and be able to compete and we made it through the hard part only to not be able to finish what we started, due to it being ripped away from us. So yes it is heartbreaking. Have said this, I could for surely go on for ever but I am happy that I am a sophomore and have more years to compete and none of our efforts will go to waste because we will come back stronger next season and have more appreciation. But for all the seniors my heart goes out to you!!

Renee Logan, Parent of a national qualifier in wrestling
I’m deeply saddened Chase is a senior this he worked so hard. To get there So proud of him I’m so proud of all them young men who supported him and there family’s. Not to mention the coaches. Thank you.

Mareena Scalia, West Liberty (Acro & Tumbling)
As a first year freshman, being new to the entire sport as a whole, the abrupt stop due to the virus hit me and my team hard. West Liberty as a team have trained so hard morning through night, outside- rain or shine, no matter what the occasion was, we were training or conditioning. Kelsey Kyle and Mariah Ack who are our two wonderful coaches, have pushed this team passed our limits. Passed what I thought was possible as an athlete. Our team bonded as a whole so well and so quickly and our performance showed it. This season I was a tumbler and a flyer. From past experience and being a gymnast my entire life, I only knew how to tumble. Being a flyer was something completely new to me but through our hard training and the help of our very knowledgeable coaches, I learned and picked up how to do it fairly quickly. Personally this season was going great for me. As a strong tumbler I was looking forward to taking my talent and my team to nationals, winning titles, winning MEC championships, winning rings, just winning in general and I know all of my teammates were thinking the same thing. For our team as a whole, we met and crushed so many goals after our very first competition. West Liberty Acro and Tumbling were predicted to place 2nd at the MEC championships just from viewers and what other teams thought about us during preseason. The forced stop to our season broke all of our hearts and was just not fair to what we as a team had planned for each other. Nothing will break the bond we have but it just hurts to know what we could have done, what I as a freshman could have experienced, was pulled away from us and it was out of our reach to prevent it. This year we were supposed to rise above.

Rosemary Sponable, Urbana (Acro & Tumbling)
I love my coach and teammates. Going to miss them very much. Can’t wait to see them next year. So glad I came East. Really upset about my season being cancelled.

Catie Pelfrey, Glenville State (Softball)
I mean where do you even start...

There is no better way to put it other than this is our “Lost Season” or the “Season of What Ifs”.

Us as athletes will never know if we would have brought home another ring or our programs first ring. We will go home wondering if we would have broken that record, if we would have set a new PR, if we would have had the game winning play that would seal our spot in the conference tournament. There are so many things that are going to go unanswered this season. The worst part is not knowing what memories we would have made on the bus rides, at practice, in the locker room, during hotel stays and everything else in between.

To think about all of it brings a wave of sadness over me. My heart goes out to every athlete, coach, athletic administrator, parent, fan, etc. This is a hard time and we all need to support each other. Not everyone is going to know the pain and loss we are experiencing. This shall pass and we will come out stronger than we could have ever imagined from this.

Now to my girls: I miss you all terribly. Today we should have gone to UC and played the game we love dearly. We should be on the vans talking about the game. We should be talking about how we were going to spend our spring break in good ole Glenville. We should be making memories that’ll last us a lifetime. But instead I’m back home in Ohio, hours away from the people who I spend day in and day out with. I sit here and wonder what our season would have been like. We knew this was our year to do something special. We knew everyone viewed us as the under dogs. We were ready to prove something this year and we had the team to do it. I watched you all put in the extra reps, show up early and stay after, start buying into the little things. I watched each one of you get better every day.

Then on March 12th I watched you all as coach told us the news in our huddle at the end of practice. I watched as the realization hit your face that there would be no more games, no more practice, no more reps. I watched everyone cry into each other’s shoulders and embrace each other. In those last moments on the field I watched our seniors say goodbye. I experienced true heart break in that moment and the worst part was I watched you all experience it as well. And there was nothing that I could do. You girls are the reason why I show up everyday and practice and play the way that I do. By pushing you all while trying to crack a smile on y’all’s face. I want you guys to leave the field feeling better than how you stepped onto the field and that day I wasn’t able to do that. So now I will push you all to be better in the classroom. I will push you all to keep practicing on your own. And most importantly I will push you to be the best version of yourself. You all know I did that before but now it’ll be at another level.

Seniors I cannot thank you enough. You guys have nothing to hang your heads about. I applaud you on all of your successes and all of the successes that await you. I will proudly put on my jersey and play in honor for you three. No athlete should say goodbye to the game the way you three had to. Every rep I take, every time I step onto the field, every practice and game will be for you. Thank you Jeri #16, Paranda #27, and Tori #3.

I love you all dearly and miss you guys. I’m ready for next season so we can get back to it. God has bigger plans for all of us. Next year will be our year.

Family on 3... 1,2,3

Grace Henley, West Liberty (Track & Field)
This was only my sophomore year, but that doesn't mean it hurt any less to hear the season was over before it started.

At the close of the Conference Champs for indoor season, the bulk of our distance team had either PRed or set a new school record in their event. While we didn't win any fancy team awards, we took pride in the achievements that we accomplished during the weekend. We did so well, that our coach had to take the weekend to understand what happened, and reset our plans for the season. We were strong, we were fast, and we were ready for outdoor season.

Of course, not everything can go perfectly all of the time. When I heard that the season was over, I was crushed. This year was going to be the year that accomplished a goal I set my senior year of high school. I was going to break 20 minutes in the 5K. While I still have time to do it, I have to live with the idea that I came so close, only to fall short -- and that feeling will continue to sit with me for the next year.

My team is hurt, but I know that my team is also strong. We hold each other up until we can learn to hold ourselves up. I love my team, and I know how hard they are going to work for the fall season. This is only going to make us better.

To the seniors on my team, I love you and I will miss you in the fall. I couldn't ever have imagined saying goodbye like this. Thank you for the things you have been able to teach me in the last two years; you all have helped shape the college athlete that I am. I would not have been as successful now without you to guide me.

"We must face tomorrow, whatever it may hold, with determination, joy, and bravery." - Mr. Magorium: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
 

Cole Wright, West Liberty (Track & Field/Cross Country)
After hearing the news for the past few days, I was sadly not surprised to hear that our track season was over. We had just finished a hard workout on the track this past wednesday and were joking about not being able to race again until cross country season. But, as is always true, you never know what the next day will bring. Something that I'll be remembering through these months of uncertainty and trying times is that it is always worth it to put in a hard days work. Though we don't have any immediate races to prepare for, that doesn't mean we've lost the opportunity to become better runners (and athletes) everyday. So while it is sad that we've lost a season of the sport we love, I'm also considering how many others are affected by the virus in a much more serious way than we have.

I'll miss lacing up my nike pegs with Jordan + Mike and going for a cool down after a hard workout. I'm sad to see their college careers end on such a sudden note. I'm thankful for all the ways they've made me into a better athlete and friend these past three years.

To be really honest, it sucks losing this season. But I am thankful for the MEC in allowing us to compete and ultimately caring about our safety. So while we are on break, keep working hard. We didn't lose the ability to be better than we were yesterday.

Kristen Shimko, Wheeling alum (Track & Field)
I graduated Frome WJU back in 2018. My senior year was the first year that our female team won the MEC. Our girls hammer throwers did something absolutely amazing that conference season: we placed 1-9 in the hammer throw. With everything going on my heart hurts SO bad for the seniors who are losing their lasts. My last year of track and field was one of the most memorable times of my collegiate career, and I could never imagine having that stripped away from me. Non-seniors, if this all settles down and you have your seasons next year... Leave it all on the field. Do it for the upperclassmen who had their seasons taken from them. Even with the NCAA returning eligibility to students, they may not be able to take advantage of another year of school or grad school, so do it for them.
Jewell Forand, Davis & Elkins parent
As I read all of the shared stories from the athletes I am saddened even more over the end of this very short season.  I’m saddened not only for the athletes but for the coaches, and parents as well.  I am a parent of a Freshmen, Davis and Elkins Woman Lacrosse player.  I love the D&E Women’s Lacrosse Team!  While our daughter is only a freshman this year, she has been a part of this team for about three years, her Sophomore year of high school she decided she wanted to go to D&E.  We have been visiting D&E and attending games ever since (not recruited until allowed, though).  We have seen this team go through a lot, we watched the previous coach leave, we watched as girls were injured and worked through their injuries and made it back on the field. 

We watched as Coach Tommy Kelly took the position of Davis and Elkins Woman’s Lacrosse Head Coach with just weeks to spare before the 2019 season started.  We watched as he took a team that had not won very many games to a team that believed in themselves.  (At this time our daughter was a senior in high school and committed to play for Davis and Elkins.)  We as a family had many conversations with Coach Kelly as we came to Davis and Elkins games and as we connected through tournaments that our daughter coached or played in.  From the first time that we talked with Coach Kelly, we knew this college and this coach was the right choice for our daughter.  He really cares about his team, as I’m sure all coaches do, but he really cares about these girls- not the wins or the losses, yeah, those are important too.     

He cares if they are going to classes, he cares if they are having a bad day, he cares about their physical and mental health.  He allows the girls to be real with him, he allows them to talk through problems with him, he shows them that it is ok not to be ok all the time.  But most of all he shows them that he cares about them.  

When the news that the season was being ended just as fast as it started came out, Coach Kelly texted the team and asked them to leave the news be for about 30 minutes so it could be processed.  To me, this told me that he knew this was going to be a major blow to his team and he was telling the girls that he needed to process it before he could help them process it.  He did not rush to answers or play into the hype, he simply composed himself to be able to provide the best support he could to the girls.  This also told the girls that their coach was taking this just as hard as they were and needed to work through it and process it as well.  When he did talk with them he was kind and gentle with them.  Telling them that this is not the end.  Coach Kelly posted this to them, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened…. It happened, we happened, and exceeded the expectations since day 1…..love is want keeps this going, you may be a team for a season but we are family for life”.  This is his attitude with the team at all times, not just because of the situation.  

Then the reality hit when they had to turn their gear in.  When my daughter turned her gear-in he talked with her for a while.  She is taking this really hard because, to be honest, Lacrosse is what saved her life- Her sophomore year she was ready to give up on life and then Davis and Elkins Lacrosse came along.  He talked to her about taking this opportunity to work on a few things.  He is putting together a workout plan to help her for next season- I’m not talking about a generic plan that he’s giving to every girl on the team, but a plan specialized for her.

He is not just a coach but a mentor as well!  Coach Kelly has gone above and beyond for so many of these girls, they might not always like what he has to say or what he does, but it is all done out of love and respect for these young women!  As these girls are preparing to depart  Davis and Elkins for who knows how long, he continues to talk with them and encourage them along the way. 

Coach Tommy Kelly is a coach that not only talks to talk but he walks the walk as well!  I know with the season ended there will be no coach of the year but, He really does deserve to be the Coach of the Year! 

Megan Eder, Charleston (Softball)
My journey to the University of Charleston is different from many, but I cannot put into words how thankful I am for it. I started my college career at Wabash Valley College, a junior college in Illinois. After two great years there, I transferred to a DII school in Evansville, Indiana, the University of Southern Indiana. I played a semester there and quickly realized it was not the proper fit for me. I spent 10 months at home without playing the sport I love, and it was tough. I knew I needed to find a school to finish my degree at, but never in a million years did I think a softball program would want a 10 month washed up player like myself, but Coach Stiles did not care. My process of getting to UC was quick and a bit scary. I was unsure if I had made the right decision to put the cleats on again, but after stepping foot on the field with my team, I never once questioned it again. Everyone in the sports industry dreams of finding the perfect team, and I did. My teammates and coaches accepted me from the start, I came in as a junior and they treated me like a junior. I am forever thankful of that. My teammates are my best friends and will be for the rest of my life. The bond we formed in such a short amount of time was insane. We were winning on the field due to the talent and chemistry we had formed. Everyone knew their role and accepted it, with no questions asked. The memories I have made in such a short amount of time with my teammates and coaches here at UC will never fade. I am blessed to have one more year to compete with the people I love, but my heart aches for the seniors who had their last season taken from them. Our seniors here at UC where the heart and soul of the program. All of us have learned so much from each one of them, and I speak on behalf of us all, we thank you for that. Thank you to the Mountain East Conference for fighting to the end for us. We all understand that ultimately our health and safety is number one priority for you. Thank you for allowing us to do what we love day in and day out. To all those who still have time to compete, remember to not take it for granted, because you never know when your last game may be.
 
Andrew Woodley, Wheeling (Sports Information Director)
A 9-to-5 job is jokingly what most sports information directors yearn for. Some time to spend with our families; maybe a weekend where we get to stay home and unwind a little

Well, I got that this last weekend and now I potentially have six more months of it. Hard pass. Y

our sports information director isn’t just the person making all of those graphics on twitter and Instagram. Aside from your family and closest friends, we (along with your athletic trainers) are your biggest fans.

We watch all of your games. We cover you and your teams daily. We celebrate all of your accomplishments. We also throw a pen down when we think an official blows a call. We have an alarmingly odd knowledge of your season-highs, PRs and know where most of you are from without even checking.

I’m wrapping up my second year as the sports information director at Wheeling University. Year one at a school is always the same. Most of the student-athletes have no idea who I am. But year two is different. Year two is when I really start to feel like a part of everything going on.

Year two at Wheeling has exceeded all of my expectations. I don’t need to go into detail about everything that has happened here, but all of that noise has definitely created an elevated sense of pride among the students who are still here. That goes for the staff and coaches as well.

The triumphs and the defeats have hit harder for me during this academic year. Seeing our football team nearly shock the world week one with everything going against us was incredible. Watching our volleyball team continue to compete at an elite level never got old. Our basketball seasons exceeded everyone’s wildest expectations.

Now it was our baseball, softball and track & field teams turn to show everyone how things were going at Wheeling University. And then suddenly it wasn’t.

All three looked to be headed in the right direction. The baseball team already had nine wins, the softball team won half of their games in Florida and the track team was sending someone to the indoor nationals.

I had the absolute pleasure of going to Florida with our softball team for their spring trip. I got to know many of our players better and I also got to know their biggest fans: their families.

Our softball team had been through so much already, as senior Brianna Grimes so eloquently published in her own piece. I’ve always tried to do my part in giving our student-athletes the best experience possible, especially given our circumstances, and it was good to hear from the parents I interacted with that they thought I was doing that.

And now it’s over.

I’m devasted for our spring teams, especially those seniors that won’t have another opportunity to compete. I feel awful for the families too. For the past decade and more they’ve been traveling everywhere to see their sons and daughters compete. They don’t get a “Senior Day” or a chance to snap a video on their phones of the last at-bat or last heat. They deserve better.

It all feels surreal right now. Hopefully we are only looking at a six-month period without collegiate athletics. I’ll find projects to work on, mostly historical stuff. WUCardinals.com could probably use a facelift. But this spring is going to feel empty.

To our student-athletes, thank you for giving me the opportunity to share your stories and be one of your biggest fans. It’s much better than any 9-to-5 job.

Nina Day, Davis & Elkins (Acro & Tumbling)
To all of my teammates and my coach, thank you. Thank you for making this season so memorable. Through all of the ups and downs, we became a real family. A family that I can trust with my heart and soul. Thank you for always having my back. Thank you for showing me the true meaning of friendship. And love. A shoutout to my coach for never giving up on us, no matter what the day consisted of. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for my loving, hardworking coach, Shelby Armstrong. When I feel as if I’ve reached my limit, she pushes me harder. She pushes me to be the best athlete I can be. I am very hard on myself, but she boosts my confidence in and out of the gym. The love she had for this team is incredible. She takes in women from all over the country and I know it’s not easy. So coach, from the team and I, we love you with all that we have. And we wish the season wouldn’t have ended so early. And to my teammates, use the anger and sadness to motivate you to be even better next year. Push yourselves even when you dont think you have anything left in you. Never give up. I love you all and I will see you soon ?? #IYAFYL


Sunday, March 15, 2020
Lauren Lewis, Concord (Softball)
Being a collegiate athlete representing the school you love is unlike any other feeling. I graduated in 2017 from Concord University, on the exact same day I played my last collegiate softball game. It’s crazy because I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was surrounded by some of the most amazing girls....my family, and in that moment it felt like things couldn’t have been worse.

At Concord, Coach Tasler pushes us all offseason to be the best players we can be physically and mentally, and although we complained about it and thought it was the worst thing to happen to us in that moment, it only made us better. In 2015, we went to the NCAA regional tournament for the first time and won our first ever regional game for our school, and then just last year the CUSB girls returned for just the second time in school history. These girls had high hopes for the season and I did too! This program had been on the right tracks for a while now and it was only a matter of time until they took it all.

The CUSB seniors this year, were my freshman my senior year. They all felt like little sisters to me. To know they had their final seasons ripped away from them, after grinding ALL winter for this one last ride, makes my heart break. They had so much going for them and the sky was the limit. I hope they find peace in knowing what they did for the Concord Softball Program, and the positives softball brought into their lives. We all go our different directions, but the Concord softball program always brings us back together ?? Always a Great Day to be Mountain Lion #Boomin

Aubrey Harriman, West Liberty (Track)
It still doesn’t seem real... This was supposed to be my senior season ... I’m heart broken that I will never ben able to have one last track meet with all of my buddies. I will never be able to get a new PR officially. You never know when the last time something may be. I’m so thankful for all my coaches, friends, and family for supporting me. I can’t wait to watch my team grow as the years go on after i graduate. I will never forget all the memories I made with my teammates. Once a Topper, always a Topper!
 
Brad McMillion, MEC Women's Basketball Supervisor of Officials
I have been fortunate to have been a part of this tremendous conference since the inception. As the Coordinator of Women's Basketball Officials I have been privileged to see some of the finest athletes, and officials, that Division II has to offer. Every year March brings hope and excitement for the teams and our staff. Months, and years, of extremely hard work and dedication get to be showcased. With the disappointment that our student- athletes and officials would not be able to perform in the national postseason, it brings a reflection of gratitude of what we get to do, and who we get to do it with. To the coaches: Thank you for the class and leadership you exemplify. The conference, and ultimately the world, is a better place for who you are, and what you do. To the student-athletes: Thank you for sharing your passion for our great game. You carry yourselves with class and dignity. Your coaches, administration, and parents are proud of you and what you mean to them can't be expressed. Keep striving for excellence and keep making a difference. Be a light to someone who needs it, and change the world. Thank you for allowing us to witness your talents!

Eric D. Croasmun, West Liberty Alum
I wasn’t an athlete at WLU, but I was at almost every football and basketball game. I attended a ton of volleyball, baseball, and softball games. I love the MEC, I was a student at its birth and watched it grow and it’s members soar to new heights. Some of my best memories were attending the great MEC match-ups with my friends on our own campus or even traveling to Wheeling’s court. There is a special bond between not only fellow alums at my own school, but in other member schools. The MEC creates a bond beyond just the individual school. When things starting being cancelled, my thoughts went to what not only the athletes are missing and have worked for, but also what the students are missing. Even after graduation, I have only missed 2 of the last 9 MEC tournaments.

Cameron Gibson, Wheeling (Track & Field)
Track and Field has always been a love hate relationship. Their have been days where I dreaded waking up at 6am knowing I that the workout for the day is running Oakmont Hill in Wheeling with Ricky Moore chasing me in his car. Or other days when it’s 10 degrees outside and we would have 300s on the track. However, at the same time, I knew it was all going to be worth it. Even after all the injuries I had, it was a miracle by God that I was able to continue running. The feeling of hitting a PR is unlike any other. I’ll never forget sitting in the blocks for a 400 and feeling as if time stood still. I can remember every little detail, I could feel everything in my body. I could feel my pulse in my fingers as I push them against the track. I can remember while running the 800 on the backstretch for the first lap replaying the conversation I had with my coaches about the game plan. Whether it’s to settle in or control the pace. I would notice how all I could hear are the 7 other men’s spikes hitting the ground. The little details, I would try to explain the feeling to non track athletes and they don’t get it. You can’t understand the pain of a 400 or an 800 until you run one. Just as I can’t explain the pain in a race, I’ll never be able to explain the emotions I had when we got second in the 4x4 my sophomore year. After our number 1 guy got hurt, I volunteered to run it at a meet and we actually had a decent time. I was able to run at conference. To represent Cardinal Nation with Dawson Rivers, Jack Fitch, and Josh Steenbock was amazing. These guys were 400m specialist while I was just some guy who ran Mid Distance. It wasn’t first but the race meant a lot to the only senior on the 4x4 team, Josh. Knowing it was going to be his last race, he put everything he had into that race and I, for one, did not want to let him down. Track and Field is a funny sport. As much as it is an individual sport, it’s a team sport. We all train in separate ways and specialize in different events but when we walk onto any track in America we are all united by the Cardinal on our chest. We all represent Wheeling University. We didn’t run for us, we ran for our team. When one of us PRed we all would celebrate. It’s a team effort.

To close, I want to thank my parents for everything. Supporting me running in high school and college. Even when you traveled over 2 hours to watch me run one race. I am forever grateful. To my sisters, I know you guys hated traveling in a cramped car with mom and dad, but when I would ran past you I could always here both of you screaming. Thank you for making signs at conference. To the rest of my family and friends, thank you for coming to support me, even when you may have been forced to come, I’ll always remember seeing you in the stands. To Coach Hibbs, thank you for believing in me back in high school, it only took a year for us to figure out I was a 400 and 800 runner but we got through it. Thank you for always pushing me to do better. To Coach Ricky Moore, thank you for taking a chance on me. The past 4 years wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for you. Helping me become not just a better runner, but a better person. For always pushing me to my breaking point on the track. Always critique starts and how I would run 800s. You’re the GOAT. To the rest of my coaches, Coach Stanton, Coach Materkoski, Coach Kidwell, and the GAs, Coach Presley and Fitch. Thank you for helping me train to be the best I could be. From the weight room to the track to study tables. Thank you for everything. To the team. Thank you for support in everything I may do. If I’m running on the track, or while I’m taking pictures, even if you just come to bingo to win the prizes, or saying hey while I’m in the RA office, I’ll always remember the moments. Everyone of you played a role in my time here on campus. Im forever blessed to know you all. And lastly but certainly not least, to the greatest AT of all time, Collin Hudson. Thanks, you’re a huge reason why I get to run today. Always putting me back together. You’re the real MVP.

As a graduating senior, I wish the best for the rest of the athletes in the MEC. Continue to work hard, don’t take any game or meet for granted. Play every game like it’s your last. Cherish every moment.

Heather Gibson, Parent
This is my son. My first born. My pride and joy, (one of 3 ??). To you this may look like a badly taken picture, and you’re right, it is. But what you don’t know is that this was the last time he’d be able to compete as a college athlete. This was taken during the MEC indoor championships at Marshall University, and we weren’t there. We were able to watch online, thank goodness! I quickly snapped this picture of him on the tv screen during his pre-race warmup. This is him. The moment right before, when he takes a moment to pray to God, thanking Him and asking for a good race. What we didn’t know is that this would be his last race. His last chance to complete as a D2 athlete. He is heartbroken, his teammates are heartbroken, we are heartbroken. We were counting on being able to cheer for him during outdoor season. We were looking forward to freezing our toes during March outdoor and sweating during the MEC outdoor championship in May, just a few days after his graduation ceremony. We wanted to watch his friends compete, to be together one last time before they go back home to look for jobs or enter graduate school. We stood at the tv cheering for him, like we always do, unaware of what was coming. Yes, we know safety is important, but we’re still sad, we feel cheated. The rug was ripped out from under us all. In the weeks and months to come, we’ll hear tales of sadness and more importantly resilience. We’ll find ways to make up for this sad turn of events. Coaches will call their teams together and hopefully encourage them to share their feelings and begin to move forward. Unless you’re an athlete or the parent of one, you don’t realize the effort they put in every single day, and for this to happen during your senior year, well, it’s just devastating. So, athletes... take a few days for weeks fo mourn your season. Talk to your friends, family, and coaches. Get together and talk about what it would have been like to cross the finish line for the final time or reach a new PR in time or height. Then, grab your spikes and move. Head to the track, or the court and work hard. Find a friend to time you or measure your jumps. This is how you heal, this is how you celebrate you and your passion. This is how you move forward.

Damon Akers, Concord (Track & Field/Cross Country)
There have been so many emotions running through my mind since Thursday. One emotion I keep feeling is thankful.

I’m thankful for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for bringing me to Concord to meet him and give my life to him my freshman year. I’m thankful for Coach Cox for giving a kid like me a chance to run at the collegiate level. I’m thankful for my parents and family for believing in me every step of the way on this journey. I’m thankful for all of my teammates past and present who have taught me more lessons than I’ll ever remember in a classroom. I’m thankful for this sport which has given me so much more than I ever expected or deserve. “You asked for my hustle, I gave you my heart.”

This is definitely not the way I wanted my collegiate running career to end, but I’m thankful for the ride and I’ll forever be a runner.

To my Mountain Lions: Put Christ first. Be proud of where you are and where you have come from. Your testimony is important. Wear that maroon and gray proudly. You never know when you’ll have to hang up your jersey one final time. And lastly, love one another, I’m going to miss the Concord family so much. But I know, I’ll always be a Mountain Lion.

Damo-800 out. Go Mountain Lions.
 
R.J. Weiford, Davis & Elkins (Track & Field/Cross Country)
The term “it’s just a game” is thrown around sports a lot. Indeed, sports are just a “game” or “competition” and life will go on with or without them, but to us athletes, sports take up a majority of our lives. We try and eat healthy to perform at our peak performance. We sometimes wake up early or stay up late to practice and perfect our craft. Sandwiched in between everything we do for our sport, we find someway to excel in our education so we are eligible for our sport and are setup for life after college. We sacrifice our social lives just to see improvements at our next game or competition. When you put into perspective everything we do for our sports, you can hardly just look at it as just a “game” or “competition”, but as a way of life.

With this sudden hit of COVID-19, our way of life as been, in a way, taken from us. Many athletes were geared up for winter national championships, championships that they have worked most of their lives to get to. Other athletes were just starting or gearing up for a successful spring season. This season, for some, their last shot at the sport they love. Some athletes were vigorously working their way back from injuries, major or minor, just to try and get in shape to compete at their best ability for this spring season. When you put these scenarios into perspective, you can hardly look at sports as just a “game” or “competition”. I understand why this had to happen, but it doesn’t ease the heartbreak. I am heartbroken to know that some athletes won’t get another shot at competing in the sport that they have dedicated much of their life to. I am heartbroken that I and every team has teammates that they won’t be able to suit up with anymore. It’s a very weird time for everyone, a time that really can’t be put into perspective. It is in times like these that all athletes need to come together. It’s a time to put rivalries and dislikes of teams aside. It is time to put aside the “stereotypes” of each sport. In the end, we are all athletes and need each other more than ever before. It is indeed a hard time to be an athlete, but if we come together, we WILL get through this.

Alexis Pasquinelli, West Liberty (Track & Field/Cross Country)
Over the past few days I have had a loss of words for how this has really affected me. For 15 years I competitively ran cross country and track and this year was my senior year of college. The love and compassion I have for both cross country and track has tremendously shaped me as a person. In the 15 years that I have been running, I have also met so many people who have made me into the person I am today. With these two sports, you put in so much work each day to get the results that you want. I want to take a minute to thank my coaches for always inspiring me and motivating me to work hard for a new PR. A special thank you goes out to my parents for going to literally every single meet that they could have gone to for me. I could not be more thankful for my teammates, coaches, and parents who have supported me on this journey. As sad as it is that I am a senior and will no longer be able to compete as a college athlete, I am looking forward to the future and to watch my teammates in the future for when they are able to compete again.
Nathan Fubio, Fairmont State (Swimming)
In just two years as a Flying Falcon, Coach Pat and the Fairmont State Swim Program have taught me valuable lessons and skills that are shaping me into the man I am becoming today.

Entering an entirely new atmosphere as an incoming freshman was quite overwhelming. Swimming was something I never took seriously in high school. I was always there for myself, shooting for my own best time, and leaving. It was something I never expected doing at the college level. At the end of my senior year of high school, the coaching staff reached out to me and I took a chance and bought in to coming to Fairmont and continuing my swim career.

Freshman year was a little rough. It was a complete new and intimidating step up from high school. I was surrounded by swimmers from all over all with the same goal, to win. I’ve never seen that on a swim team I’ve been on before. The largest team I’ve been on before college was 5 boys, and none of us cared that much to be there. But it was awesome. Every 6am swim, hardcore dry lands, and lift three days a week was spent growing relationships with people I competed against in high school, that are now teammates working for one goal. Conference rolls around and I thought I was ready to do as much as I could to help my team. I thought. That meet, I was two swim-offs for a spot in the finals, and I lost them both, and failed to qualify in the rest of my events. I felt defeated. But for the first time, I was upset not because I felt like I let myself down, but that I left my teammates down. By the end of my first conference meet, I learned something I never thought was possible. I learned how to take pride in wearing the maroon and white, and learned how to love the sport and teammates I compete with. I was so motivated and swore I’d never let my team down again like I did at conference. After conference, swimming became a team sport to me, and I was ready for what the next season had, excited to be with my teammates and win a conference championship.

I started this sophomore season strong. I took what I learned freshman year and worked hard over the summer to be better for my team this season. My goals were to not lose another swim-off and to place higher in events to get points for my team. We met at the beginning of the year with one ultimate goal, and that was to win the MEC conference meet. After my experience with my first conference meet, we knew what had to be done in order to win. We practiced hard every morning. Each 6am swim and 7am lift was spent getting stronger together with that one goal in mind. We hit some bumps along the way but learned to grow stronger as a team. Finally, after 6 months of training in season, the conference meet came. My first event was the 50 free. Last year, the 50 free was the one event I had a swim off in and lost. I swam that prelims with a best time, and excited knowing I placed for finals, being able to score points for my team. After that race, I found out I tied and had to have a swim off to see who would get into the B Final in that event. I couldn’t believe I got myself back into that position from last year, but luckily I had my team with me to hype me up. With nothing but the thought of losing it last year, I couldn’t let that happen again. I couldn’t let my team down again. With all the work I’ve put in and the motivation from my teammates, I won that swim off and got into the B final to help score more points for my team. The meet continues and it was a close battle between us and Notre Dame. At the end of the meet, we fell short 14 points from the MEC title. And for the first time in a sport, I cried. Not because of how I let myself down, but because I cared so much about my team and wanted them to win. I wanted all of us to share the moment of being champions together, and it didn’t happen.

I’ve never cared more about a group of people and a sport more than swimming at Fairmont State. It’s a program that cares about tradition and pride. Its the coaching staff and puts the fight in us and keeps us motivated, showing us what it means to be Fairmont State. It’s the teammates that constantly push, support, and cheer one another on from each practice and meet all the way to the end of the season. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. I take pride in being a falcon, and this program has taught me that. I’m forever grateful for the past two seasons, and can’t wait for the next two as a Fairmont State Flying Falcon.

Darby Fitzpatrick, Concord (Softball)
It has been extremely hard for me to put into words how the last few days have felt. I am so beyond heartbroken. Concord, I remember the day i chose to commit the next four years of my life to you. I remember the feeling of a college coach having genuine interest in me and my ability. I remember my first start as a pitcher, as a collegiate softball player. As I reflect on this time I have had and the slim chance there is for me to tie up my laces again, i feel nothing but thankfulness. I am so honored to have worn these colors. I am so honored to have dedicated all my energy to this program.

To my parents and my family, your support was my drive. I strived every single day to give my best and to make you proud of me. Thank you for your time and dedication. Thank you for going out of your way to make a collegiate career a dream come true. All the time i’ve spent on the road traveling with you has been some of the best times of my life. Seeing you sitting at my games brought the biggest smiles i’ve ever had to my face, because i know that without you guys none of this would have been possible to begin with, and seeing you in the stands was always a reminder of how far we’ve come together and how much you really gave up to watch me succeed.

Coach Tasler, thank you for sticking around that extra day at my travel tournament. Thank you for watching me play and for seeing potential in me. Concord was the best fit for me and without softball my four years of college would have never been the same. Thank you for not only being a coach, but a mentor. Someone who we could go to for advice, or to vent, and someone we could talk to about life in general. You make us want to be the best versions of ourselves. You make us strive to only want the absolute best. To want to win ball games. Not just that, but to also strive be good people, to be good humans, to care for one another and pick each other up at all times. I will never forget the one time we were doing a circuit my sophomore year and everyone was really exhausted, and you said, “it is a privilege to be here. It is a privilege to play for this school and for this team”. I took that to heart because it really was a privilege. One that i will always hold my head high about. Thank you for this opportunity and for giving me friends of a lifetime and for granting me the opportunity to play the game i love for four more years.

To my teammates, please keep your heads up. You are some of the best ball players and people i have ever met. Although sometimes we butted heads, I would run through a brick wall for any of you. Our friendship goes way outside of just the ball field. I hope you know that just because you won’t be seeing me everyday, that I will still always be rooting for you and for your success. Bust your butt in weights, no matter how hard it is. Give it everything you have in practice, no matter how tired you are. Wake up everyday and thank God for your opportunity, no matter how challenging managing school and sports is. I hope you all use this as a positive lesson, to make the most of every single day you have, because you never know when it can be taken from you. There was nothing more I wanted than to be walking away with a ring that we EARNED with this team. We had it all.

I am so sorry for all the athletes who are effected by this decision. Keep your heads up, stay positive, and let’s reflect on this amazing opportunity that only 2% of the world gets to have anyway. We really are so lucky. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Play every game like it’s your last, because you never know when it can be taken from you. #1

Tyler Butler, Notre Dame (Football)
I was offered a scholarship at Notre Dame College for football the winter of 2012 I committed to a team at the time that did not have a field or much to say as far as facilities went. The field was finished by the time my freshman year started. Playing Football on campus is some of the best memories of my life. Notre Dame is where I met my fiancé whom I’m marrying in June. Notre Dame is where I learned what real hard work is. My coaches especially Coach Anthony Soto, Mickey Mental, and Mike Jacobs really showed me what it takes to win in collegiate football. My teammates I would die for on that field or anywhere else. I was an Offensive Tackle and I took protecting the guys behind me as serious as a heart attack. Storming the field with those guys is something that filled me with so much pride it’s hard to explain. The friendships and bonds I made on those hot two a days during August can never be replicated or replaced. Notre Dame and college football prepared me for the hardship of life so many ways. I use the lessons I learned everyday while playing for NDC and the MEC. My career now in law enforcement was a dream of mine since I was a young child. Notre Dame helped me achieve that dream with the degree I earned in the classroom and on the football field. Notre Dame has come so far in the MEC for football it makes me so proud to be one of the bricks of a foundation for a winning program. Five years I played the sport I loved for a great school and organization. I would never change a second of it for the world.

Sydney Schumacher, West Liberty (Acro & Tumbling)
My heart breaks for everyone who lost opportunities that they’ll never get back. I have 2 more years of college after this semester, but some people don’t. Some athletes will never get back the missed games, the memories they never made, the national championships they earned a right to go to, and the opportunity to display the hard work they put in all season. It is awesome that eligibility is being granted to us, but most people won’t be able to take it because they have to graduate and move on with their life instead of sticking around strictly for athletics. This situation has taught me that you can’t take anything for granted, to practice and perform everyday like it will be the last time you ever will. I hope everyone, especially seniors, will somehow be able to find the closure that they will never get back.

Zack Fraley, West Virginia State (Tennis)
My story is a little different than most. I started my college athletics career at Davis and Elkins College where I swam for the Men's Swim Team. In high school, I always had my mind set that I would swim in college and I will always be thankful for the opportunity that I was given with Davis and Elkins to achieve that goal.

Things changed when I decided to transfer closer to home and go to West Virginia State University. This was definitely not in the plans for me when I decided to go to D&E, but it was ultimately the right choice. I want to thank my coaches for always sticking by me no matter what the situation. To Coach Simms for taking a chance on me and giving me the chance to be on the team.

To my current Coach, Coach Ryan Pulliam. You have furthered my game into a place I never thought I would be at and always gave me encouragement. Even at the lowest of lows you were never mad nor upset about the outcomes. You always wanted to see the best in all of your players. I'm sorry we couldn't achieve our goals this year. I also want to thank our Athletic Director, Nate Burton. Even when our program was transitioning into a new leadership period, he made sure that our team had the necessary resources to be able to compete at the collegiate level. I will forever be grateful to each and everyone of you.

Not trying to speak for my team in the slightest, but I think I can say we were definitely upset when hearing the recent news. We have worked extremely hard up to this point, but I would not trade it for the world. The bonds I have built, the friendships I have been given, and the lessons I have learned throughout the journey are undeniably some of the best times I have ever lived, and for that, all I can say is thank you. Thank you to the sport I never thought would put me at where I am today. While it is not the sport I fell in love with at first, it is the one I will always continue to love now.

Brionna Bowman, Charleston (Softball)
I am struggling on what to write because I am still truly at a loss for words. On March 12th, Coach Stiles called us into the conference room. As soon as we stepped into the room, we all started bawling because we knew exactly what was about to be announced. I cannot even begin to explain the pure heartbreak each and every one of us felt. I hate even thinking back to it. There was not one dry eye in the room. I have never been on a team with such a strong bond and it is absolutely devastating. We just came back from Florida. We were 16-2. In our short amount of time playing, we achieved the sixth best winning percentage. Our pitchers were Top 10 in ERA and Top 20 in Shutouts across D-II teams nationwide. We don’t need a championship or a full season to be proud of that. Since Thursday, we have been numb yet soaking in every moment we can with one another. This is an unexplainable feeling that I don’t know we will ever be able to process. Until 2021... #GasTheBus #ToBeContinued

To the seniors everywhere, I am so sorry.
Thank you to our coaches and staff who fought so hard for us.
Thank you to MEC for ultimately keeping our safety and well-being of everyone as the top priority- as heartbreaking as it may be.

Jenny Cranston
My daughter has talked, thought about and dreamed of travelling to the USA from Australia and being a part of a College track team for many years. Her dreams were realised this time last year as she signed her letter of intent to join a track team. It was scary exciting time as she left home to start off in the Cross Country team and then compete in her first ever indoor season. (We don’t have any indoor facilities in Aus). But she couldn’t wait for what she loved.

The Heptathalon in Outdoor season. She had made many many new friends. Loved the comraderie of the College team. Loved the Coaches. Hopes for outdoor season being her best season ever. Countdown was on for her first meet.

This week has been tough for her as it has for all her teammates. It is just as hard as her mum to see a dream put on hold and to bring her back home safely. My hope and dreams for her and all the athletes that have missed out on their sport will be able to return in the Fall, stronger, faster and with an incredible resilience and desire to be the best athletes they can be.

Fallyn Swiger, West Virginia Wesleyan (Acro & Tumbling)
Finding the right words to say during this time has been so difficult. Only four days ago I thought I still had 3 regular season meets, I thought I still had almost two months with the people who mean the most to me. In a matter of 24 hours it was all ripped away and we only had 3 days left together. My team has been through so much this year together, but we always pulled through. Because no matter what, we love each other and we love this sport. To my coaches, thank you for taking a chance on me and giving me the opportunity very few get to experience. I am forever grateful for everything you have taught me this season and I can’t wait to see what you guys do for this program. To my teammates, thank you for welcoming me with open arms, always making me smile, and picking me up when I fall (literally). To our senior, i have looked up to you since the day I met you. You are strong, beautiful, intelligent, and you’re going to do great things in your life. Never give up, keep pushing, and always remember how much we love you. Through the injuries, trials, and all the good times in between we were a family. We always will be. Though this time is heartbreaking, it is not something we can’t overcome. We will be back next year, stronger than before, ready to finish what we started. Psalm 46:1-3

Saturday, March 14, 2020
Ryn Boetler, Davis & Elkins (Softball)
I am a senior this year, and this was going to be our first year competing in the MEC. Our team was doing well this year. Our culture was incredible, and we were truly competing with good teams. In four years, my class alone has experienced so much together. A few weeks into freshmen year, our coach took another job and we were left without a head coach for an entire Fall. When our new coach was hired, things clicked and we had a good first year. The next two years were a little rocky for the team, but this year really made up for those years. As a senior, even with the cancellation of our final season, this was the best year that I’ve been a part of at D&E. It’s incredibly sad for it to have ended only 14 games into a 50 game season, but this team is a force to be reckoned with. As we turn in our gear today and begin packing to go home, I am doing a lot of reflecting on my experience as a Senator, and I am just grateful that our first coach recruited me and allowed me to be here. But, I am even more grateful for all the teammates I’ve had that turned into friends, that turned into family. And to our head coach and all of the assistant coaches we’ve had over the years, thank you. I don’t know what else to say other than thank you. Senator Softball has been the best program I’ve been a part of and I will be thankful for the people and experiences it’s given me for the rest of my life.

Trevon Smith, Glenville State (Baseball)
One thing that I will never forget about my team is we had this saying that will always be apart of us, and the saying was, For The Boys! It is a simple saying but to us it was a big meaning and it stood for, we will always have your back no matter the situation we will always be for our guy beside us. From the guy at the bottom of the roster to our head coach! We will always be a family and we will always be (FTB) For the Boys ! Thank you seniors for building the standard that we all live by now!

Elysia Cain, Davis & Elkins (Tennis)
It is quite insane that my freshman year had to end this way. It’s very easy to say that my cteam has been my family for the past semester and a half. I’ve found my best friends through this sport and this team. Having to leave them in such a short notice is very hard for me. Having to leave my seniors who I know I will never see again is very hard for me since some of them are my best friends. I know that they’re going to have the best part of their lives as college graduates back in Sweden and Columbia and back in their hometowns here in the US. It makes me so sad that everyone’s season had to end this way, but from the freshman, sophomore, and junior classes that everyone is going to be ready to give it their all in the 2021 season. This is giving me the extra time to prepare myself for next season on my own with my coach at home, which I know will be good for me. But I never thought my freshman year would end this way. How heartbreaking...

Ronnie Fitzgerald, Charleston (Track & Field)
It has been a pleasure to spend my last 4 years here at the University of Charleston. Through the good times and the bad times, I'm blessed that I had went to UC. The biggest thing that will be missed is my teammates and coaches holding each other accountable. Even when that particular day wasn't going well for you on track, the words of encouragement were always there.  This institution gave me an opportunity to get to know people from diverse cultures. The University of Charleston gave me an opportunity to grow not only as an athlete but as a student in the classroom. I am heartbroken at the fact my senior season ended so soon but UC has set me up for success upon graduation in May. Thank you, Coach Bias, Coach McCants, and Dr. Stevens for allowing me to be under good hands these last 4 years. Thank you, Mountain East Conference for my successful collegiate career.
Kerrigan Johnson, Fairmont State (Acro & Tumbling)
On March 12, we got on a bus for an 8 hour bus ride to compete in Connecticut against the number 3 team in the country. We were anxious, but excited because we knew how hard we had worked all season for this meet & were ready to bring back a win. A little over three hours into the drive though, we got news the meet had been cancelled.. then our season was postponed.. then our national championship being cancelled due to the coronavirus. This was all told to us within a matter of hours. We were confused why decisions were made so quickly but understood it was for our safety. We were disappointed we were no longer going to get the chance to compete that weekend but proud of the work we had put in up until that point. More than anything though, we were upset. All of us. From first time freshman to coaches to people like me whose last year it was participating in this wonderful sport. I didn’t know the day before would be my last practice. I didn’t know the morning i got on that bus it would be the last trip I go on with me team. And I definitely didn’t know the meet I competed in two weeks ago would have been my last. An extra year of eligibility doesn’t mean anything to me like it does some others. I will graduate at the end of this year & move on to another school that does not offer this sport which upset me the most. I believe the decision to completely cancel all sports and championships immediately was irrational and made entirely too quickly. We’re monitoring the coronavirus day by day, so why couldn't we monitor the sports world like that too? Why couldn’t they have just postponed things for a few weeks to see where things were at? Why couldn’t they think of the athletes that had put in so much hard work during their off season in the fall and will now have nothing to show for it? Now two days later, I am still trying to process all the emotions this situation has brought me. Luckily for me, I play one other sport I will have the opportunity to finish in the fall but others won’t be so lucky.

Whitney Carrigan, Concord (former softball player)
Hello I am currently a high school athletic trainer and sports medicine teacher in California. I graduated from Concord university in 2016, I had an opportunity to play for the Mountain Lions from 2011-2015. And man what a ride, what an experience. When I decided to travel across the country to play ball I never expected to meet my new sisters there. I saw other parts of the country that I tell my students about. They need to visit, I talk about bridge day where people like to jump off, I describe them leaves change colors and that I the perfect time to go hiking. But the best memories I had was with my teammates, from our long bus rides to the beach, to begging coach Tasler to stop for food at McDonald’s after a game against University of Charleston. To our early weight room days, and now we all have a habit of lifting. To the our first trip to the NCAA tournament just being happy that we can say we made it here. To my last day playing this sports that I played for 15 years. I met my best friends at that school who I still talk to everyday. To the mini alumni gatherings we have on the west coast with other athletes from other sports. I would never change that experience for the world. Once a Mountain Lion always Mountain Lion. 

Lisa Spencer, Glenville State (Track & Field)
It’s hard to come up with words to express how grateful you are for something, especially when that something isn’t a tangible thing.

So I’ll start with this: thank you. Thank you to all of my coaches for pushing me to be better, thank you for all of my teammates for holding my head high when I couldn’t hold it myself, thank you to all of my friends and family who supported my dreams, thank you to all of the athletic trainers who dealt with me everyday begging to come back; but most importantly thank you to track itself for teaching me how to be a better person, for showing me that no matter what, you push forward.

You start your college career with a group of strangers and somehow through long bus rides, hard workouts, near impossible lifts, and one shared goal you become a family. Growing as a team and as people, showing that even in the worst cases you always have someone holding you up. The memories I’ve made with these wonderful people can’t measure up to words, they go beyond that.

No one can write down the feelings you get when you hit a new personal best, or when you’re cheering on a 4x4, or when you watch your teammates hit huge marks/times. You live those moments, you cherish those moments, and you remember; because even though a season can be taken away, your memories can’t.

As my coach said, “never let anyone get in the way of what you love to do.” So keep training, keep pushing, and keep making memories; because when it’s all over that’s what you’re going to have left and no one can take those away from you. I love track and I hope to coach one day, so I can provide the same opportunities presented to me throughout my career. It’s been a crazy five years, but I’m so thankful for this sport and all it has given me.

Jahnvi Duncan, Glenville State (Track & Field, Cross Country)
I’ve always loved sports and being active and competitive. The only time I’ve experienced my sport coming to a hold is when I got injured, and there was many times where that had to happen. In those times that I got injured I always had my first cross country coach there motivating, believing, and helping me get through those adversities. I’ve grown a love to the sport of cross country it was a feeling I got crossing the finish line. Every athlete has said “that’s my sport” and when it came to cross country I knew that it felt so right to say it IS my sport. I’ve made friendships and memories through the sport that I cherish forever, and in track I’ve looked up to so many athletes that are on my team, on professional teams, and just at any meet that I’ve gotten to watch something amazing happen.

This last Thursday coming to practice just felt different. My coach was different and something in me just felt a more of a love to be there at the track with my team doing a good workout. My coach at the end of practice sat us all down explaining we don’t know if we have a season, but then my teammate got an email that stated the MEC had cancelled our season right in the middle of the meeting, and it was announced by coach to us. We all sat in silence as it didn’t even feel real. The seniors were people who my heart broke the most. Being only a sophomore I was for sure upset, but it was more directed towards seeing the seniors more devastated then anything I’ve seen these people train countless hours and that’s only the 2 years I’ve been here. I know that these people have worked so much more then just these 4 years. After we huddle up and gave our last break down it felt that we lost our identities (at least to me) because all through since youth league I was known as an athlete to perform and train. Now it felt like I was training for nothing, and I wasn’t an athlete anymore. My coach and the team just felt like everyone was lost, and knew that we’ve all been working since last August to get to the MEC track and field championship.

It wasn’t just track that had the lost and dazed look. The Glenville State women’s basketball team won their 3rd straight MEC title; probably the hardest working group of ladies that I’ve meant. They were supposed to play at the national level, but found out that it was cancelled. Upon returning to Glenville all of them seemed to have the same lost look just as any other athlete and coach. Also the softball and baseball teams here at GSC has posted so much heartbreak that they have over their season being done. Both teams have so much talent and to see it all just stop my stomach aches just watching those seniors on both of those teams post about their final season coming to an end it really hurts. I also observed that the acro and tumbling team here at GSC has felt so much sadness as well because those ladies work very late and work countless hours to get to their season in the spring. All these athletes as I see them have this look of lost in their eyes. I notice I don’t feel the same anymore I look at the track and I get sad realizing what we could’ve done at the MEC track and field championship because Glenville was hosting it this year. I really try to understand why this happened and why this is coming to how it is. I still have a love for both track and cross country but the feeling of not being able to showcase the hard work I’ve put in really hurts. I think the most sadness I’ve felt through all of this is watching other people who as well love their sports react.

Like I said before athletes all have an identity we take pride into doing something we love and being able to take it to the next level, and having it being taken away from us makes us feel that we’ve lost a huge part of who we are.

Mikayla Kesel, Urbana (Softball)
On February 9, 2020, Urbana University softball started our countdown to game day. Our hard work didn’t just start this day. The moment we arrived back to school, groups of teammates went to our field and our batting cages getting extra reps before our first practice to ensure we came out in peak performance. We worked our tails off upon arriving to school to the moment it was all taken away. From 6am conditioning, to 8am lifts, to long 3 hour practices on top of our already grueling class schedules, we worked extremely hard as a team to be the best we could be this year. We grew not only as a team, but as a family.

On March 5th we flew to Florida to finally start our season at The Spring Games. Something we have been looking forward to all year. We played 10 games and were 2 games short of tying our record from the previous season. Coming back from Florida we knew that our season might be cut short. As a team we grew frustrated knowing we could have played our last game as a team and not even known it.

Not even 24 hours after arriving back to Urbana we got the news. Tears were shed from teammates, to coaches to parents. We all shared in this terrible sadness that was cast over the whole world of sports. We knew that this team was something special. We knew we had big things in store for us. This was our year. The year of Urbana softball.

To our seniors, Kylah, Mykee and Alli. You three have been some of the biggest role models I have had since arriving my freshman year. I have been extremely lucky to have the opportunity to play with you and learn from you. This is not fair and I’m so sorry that it ends this way for you guys. To the freshman who were looking forward to their first year of college softball, we will be back. Keep working hard and it will all pay off next year. We are not done yet. This experience has proved more than anything that playing softball is about being a part of something that is so much bigger than ourselves. We all must support each other in these times of need regardless of the team on the front of our jerseys. We all are experiencing the same pain and sadness, we all worked so hard for our seasons to be taken away so quickly. In these moments let’s all come together and be proud of what we accomplished in our very short seasons. Hold on to the memories we made and know that we will never let the game of softball be taken away from us forever.

Madeline Rushing, Fairmont State (Acro & Tumbling)
My names Madeline Rushing and this was my senior year on Fairmont States acrobatics and tumbling team. Going into this season, my team and I knew this was going to be a tough year. Losing 15 people total from last year and going into the season with only 20 girls, we all had to step up into different positions and become as versatile as possible. Being the only senior on the team, I had to do my best throughout the whole year to be the best leader as possible and to try and lead them through the best season we could have. Although there were many doubts about us and how we would perform this year, my team showed that we were all there for a reason, and showed that we were small but mighty. We showed that numbers do not matter, and ended our season 4-0! When we found out that our season was cut short, we were devastated. There was so much more we wanted to accomplish, with MECs and Nationals approaching us. So many what ifs. This team taught me so many valuable lessons, and showed me that with hard work and dedication you can accomplish anything. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to be apart of this amazing team, and I know that this team will continue to strive in the future. Go Falcons! ??

Brianna Grimes, Wheeling (Softball)
I am a senior at Wheeling University in Wheeling, WV. I am now a retired softball athlete who is of course overwhelmed with emotions about the ending of my career. That being said, I am thankful for this softball season, short as it was. At the end of last year, our university announced that we were in financial crisis and that the state of the college was in jeopardy. As one would expect, everyone on campus was looking to leave and abandon hope that our school would reopen its doors for this current school year. Being a rising senior, and Engineering major, I was not able to transfer elsewhere because I would not have be able to finish my degree without paying for a fifth year of school and loosing any hope of another season of my favorite sport. So myself, and many other rising seniors, felt that we should stick it out together. Also at this time, our school had lost sponsorship from the Society of Jesus, an order of Catholic priests that sponsor colleges to educate the “whole person” and promote the ideals of life, leadership, and service. This was devastating for most students because these traditions had been engrained in every one of us from the moment we started our journey at, the then named, WJU. Needless to say, the university moral had crashed and burned. On top of that, the softball team’s coaches had found better opportunities to further their coaching careers during the summer that followed, leaving our team with 7 girls returning, 6 incoming freshman, and no coach. We had never had a roster this small nor had been without a coach for such an agonizing period.

This all changed when we moved back to campus this fall. Our new coach, Tiffany Buckmaster, came in and asked the three seniors what we wanted out of this year. We told her how our previous years had been and she then questioned us on where we wanted it to go. We set our standards then and there for the entire year and for many years to come. Throughout the fall, we worked as a team to build a new future for Wheeling Softball. We manifested a culture that was bitter and angry about change to one that embraced it. Softball is a very unpredictable sport and we knew going forward that our program and mentality had to accept change and hardship, because it is inevitable. The ending of our season was one of those hardships, but I can look back at my career and be thankful that I was able to be a part of Cardinal Softball. I can graduate in May knowing that I was a piece in the foundation for a new beginning for many more athletes to come. #Rollcards #LetYourLightShine

Taylor Misuna, Notre Dame (Wrestling)
As many of my fellow athletes whose dream have been taken away, like them this journey did not begin when we entered this scholastic year. This dream began when we fell in love with our sports. I first stepped on to a wrestling mat when I was 8 years old. It has been 16 years of countless hours of blood sweat and tears aboard this roller coaster this sport has taken me. I have blessedly had a successful career winning my state tournament in high school and becoming an All-American my sophomore year in college at Notre Dame.

The journey to get to that point was long and hard as I took a year away from the sport after I dropped out of Virginia tech. I was living on my own and battling through my own demons on what I may do next. It wasn’t until my uncle died because he accidentally shot himself when I decided I need to turn my life around and that I couldn’t live on the couch anymore and I needed to do something with my life. Then I was blessed with the opportunity to come to Notre Dame to wrestle. I have thoroughly enjoyed my career here and am blessed with a second chance to compete at the sport I loved. I had to get back on my feet and try and get back what I had lost in the year off from the sport. I did not start my freshman year but then I bounced back and earned All-American honors my sophomore year. Although this is a great accomplishment, the goal was to be the best in the country, to win a national title. My junior year I came up short again as I didn’t even qualify for the national tournament. I cried in my coaches arms and vowed to not feel this feeling again. It was at this time I promised to do whatever it takes to become a national champion. I lived every single day with this in mind. Every decision I made was first questioned with “will this help me win a national title?” Days consisted of manual labor all day to go practice after work every day in the summer. Once we got to school I would begin to get 2 maybe 3 workouts in a day. From running in the snow to getting ready that last workout in at 11 pm at night. All of it was to prepare for one thing, the national tournament.

Two weeks ago we had our regional tournament and I was able to avenge a loss against the #1 kid in the country in the super regional finals. My dream was within reach, my work had started to pay off but that was not the goal, nationals was coming soon. This was my senior year and I had prepared every single day for this one moment. My team and I were able to practice in the arena and get a glimpse of what the tournament would be, we made our final weight cut and were all prepped for our final tournament of the season, some of us it was the final tournament of our lives. Within 12 hours left of the national tournament our coach pulled us aside and gave us the terrible news. Hearts were broken, dreams were shattered. And the ultimate conclusion to our lives was taken away, to be left in limbo. It still is not real, I still have yet to come to terms with it and keep asking myself, what’s next?

Rumors have come about to possibly grant winter athletes another year of eligibility, but what some may not realize is that a year can change everything. Our minds and bodies may not be able to handle another year of training especially when you put everything into one thing. There is nothing at this point that can be done to make this right. The NCAA and everyone else involved has taken something away from people that can never be given back.

Cal Bailey, UVa-Wise (Baseball)
One weekend back in 2019, we were playing west liberty in Pennsylvania. It was freezing cold and snowing during the first game and we got 1 hit. After the first game we got chewed out but Coach Banner and to quote me favorite line from him “you can’t play because of the weather?!? GIVE ME A BREAK!” We proceeded to win the next game 21-2. I went 4-6 with 2 doubles along with my former teammate Tyler Blaum who went 4-6 with 3 doubles. That game in my opinion turned out season around and allowed us to make the MEC tournament in Beckley, WV!

Marco Oliverio, Fairmont State (Golf)
Golf Season is different from every other sport. The difference? Well we are lucky enough to have two seasons.

Our first season begins in fall and is just a small step in our end goal. It gets our feet wet, it gets the freshman a taste of college golf and it established a good base for our goal.

The ultimate goal is a team bid to regionals. I was new to this program last year as I transferred in from a different school. This program had no tradition or standard. They never knew what we could possibly accomplish. Regionals wasn’t even a thought in anyone’s mind. When I came in we had a brand new coach, with a brand new mind set standard much like the one I expected to have when coming into this program.

Last year we missed our end goal by 1 spot. Top 10 teams in the region made it, we finished 11th. Coming into this year we were all hungry and ready to take on this feat. At the end of this fall we had set our selves up to give us a great chance to defeat our goal and make it to regionals.

When we got the news about the cancellation, we all seemed to be in kind of shock. We have one lone senior, and for him reality really had seemed to set in for him, he was done with his college golf career.. just when this program had started to have an upside.

Seeing the way it affected him just made me really feel sadness for him and every single other athlete that was going through the same thing. Whether it was the first time they were playing in the NCAA tournament or whether it was just simply the last time they had ever struck out a batter, made a three pointer, holed their last putt, or won their last race. It’s something you couldn’t prepare for and something that just does not seem fair.

In my eyes the NCAA made a extremely irrational decision simply out of panic. These sporting events could have been postponed or delayed just as easily. The memories these athletes are losing is something you can never give back.

Liz Markley, Davis & Elkins (Acro & Tumbling)
I am deeply heart-broken to see my freshman season abruptly come to an end. I’m at lost of words. But what I do have to say is that I am absolutely proud of this team! We have overcome a lot and made great progress! We were soo close but shut down very quickly. All I have to say now is watch out. My team and I are ready to take our anger and sadness and use it to fuel us for next season! Love this team forever and always! IYAFYL

Austin Gresser, West Virginia Wesleyan (Track & Field)
Not being able to finish out this final outdoor season with the team here at WVWC has been one of the hardest things I’ve had to cope with. In these few days since we learned we wouldn’t have an outdoor season we have all embraced each other and I am glad to call this team more than friends, but family. The memories we’ve made will last a lifetime and that’s what I will cherish the most. From competing in practice every day and laying on the track not thinking our legs would work anymore after a hard workout to hearing all the cheers for everyone when we saw them competing on race day to even just the daily lunch we would enjoy together in the cafeteria all those moments will live on. I want to say thank you to each teammate that I’ve had the pleasure of competing alongside for these four years as well as the athletes on other teams that I’ve had the pleasure of competing against.

Thank you to Coach Skiles for having that faith in me coming out of high school and giving me this chance to compete at the collegiate level. To Coach Meyers thank you for everything you helped get started to get this program going back in the right direction. To Coach Crise thank you for the three years you’ve believed in me and helped me through things both on and off the track. Everything you’ve done for me will stick with me forever.

Thank you to this sport for everything it has brought me, I will forever and always be grateful. -One Love
 
Carlee Lucas, Charleston (Softball)
Transferring to the University of Charleston mid-sophomore year was hard enough, but I am so thankful for all of the girls who have made UC feel like home. My senior year of ball may not have ended the way I/the team wanted it to, but I’m so thankful to have met everyone I have. Having the opportunity to play at this level is amazing, but having the chance to play at UC is incredible. I’m so thankful I got to play this sport with my best friends. #gasthebus always!

Sarah (Depp) DeFranco, Notre Dame (Softball)
I am a 2017 Grad from Notre Dame College. I had the privilege of playing 4 years of softball for my amazing college. While at NDC I played the sport I loved and met the friends whom I now call my family. Away trips to colleges in West Virginia and Virginia were long and exhausting but also the best memories I can think of. We would scream sing to Frozen, watch Disney movies, do each other’s hair, and just have an all around amazing time. It saddens me to know that the girls this year won’t get to experience that. The freshman don’t get to experience the hot cookies at the Holidays Inns and the Seniors get gypped from being able to claim their seats first on the bus.

My best memory as a softball player at NDC was my sophomore season. We won the MEC Tournament. We had to win 7 games to win the whole dang thing. We battled hard and I will never forgot those 7 games with my teammates. I remember every single person on that field. I remember the cheers and me running home when my coach stopped me at third base... I was safe (thank god).

I will forever cherish all 4 years I got to wear NDC/Falcons across my chest. I wish the seniors that got their season taken away, find peace and they truly played each game like it was their last. I can’t even imagine what they’re going through. My senior season was truly so special to me. -S.Depp #9

Casey Poe, Urbana (Acro & Tumbling)
Being a part of the Acrobatics and Tumbling team at Urbana University is nothing like I have ever experienced before. The amount of hard work, dedication, blood, sweat, and tears that each of my teammates, coaches, and athletic trainers have put into this program is indescribable. I have never felt so much trust or such a strong bond to each and every one of my teammates.

Not only are we a team, we are a family that is always there to cheer for each other’s successes, but is also there to pick you up when you are low. Thank you to my teammates for being my rock, and for being my best friends. Thank you to the UU athletic training staff for always making sure my body at its best for all practices and meets. And thank you to my coaches for being my biggest cheerleaders, not only in practices and meets, but in life as well. All in all, we should be thankful that we have something that is so hard to say goodbye to. We will be back, and we will be stronger. #KnightsOnThree

Jenna Witt, Concord (Softball)
Coming into my senior year I told myself to have fun because at the end of this year a new chapter of my life will begin. I didn’t know it would end so shortly but I’m glad I got to play in the short amount of time that I did. The last four years of my career have been the best times of my life. I’ve met some of my lifelong friends and made the best memories. To all my teammates past and present I’m so glad all of you came into my life, without you I would not be the player or person I am today. I would not want to go into battle on the field with anyone else. To all the girls next year and years to come, work hard and play like it is your last, you never know when that will be. To Coach Tasler, thank you for believing in me when I didn’t. The most important lesson that you taught me and one I will take with me for the rest of my life is, do the little things right and everything else will follow. Reflecting back on my four years I’ve learned important life lessons that are bigger than softball. I am extremely thankful for this sport and everyone I’ve met along the way.

Haleigh Forand, Davis & Elkins (Lacrosse)
Never knowing when your last time stepping onto the field again is probably one of the hardest things an athlete has to go through. The bond that the Davis and Elkins women's lacrosse team has built over this year has been one of the best. We have been able to bond over little things from the laughs and big things like wins and loses. The women's lacrosse team at Davis and Elkins has made huge successes and will still grow together as we come together in this time.

Aidan Konhaus, Davis & Elkins (Track & Field/Cross Country)
Thousands of miles travelled, figurative and literal mountains climbed for the sake of competition. More than that is those that were on that journey with me, by my side then and by my side now. It's heartbreaking to know that this is the end for some of my closest friends. All the trials we've faced together has left me with a deep love and respect for me teammates. It's for the sake of those cut short that we who remain have to keep going. As sad as I am to see them go I find myself reminiscing with leaving seniors about good times and it's bittersweet. I treasure the time I had with them and it's for them that I have to put one foot in front of the other and keep moving. Maybe it is just a game and that it's not important and that's true, the competition isn't what I'll remember but instead the journey my friends and I have made in the dark to get to those lights on the track.

KD Smith, Notre Dame (Softball)
“How lucky are we to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

Notre Dame College Softball has given so much to my life. And as we remember that this is just a game, we also know this game has shaped us and rewarded us in so many bigger ways through every different experience. From every burpee done and 300 ran to every away trip and Wendy’s meal, the love that we have been able to share with each other through this sport is immeasurable. To my fellow seniors, we have been through the mud together since day one. Blood, sweat, tears, laughter, and everything in between has held us together and allowed us to grow and form something much bigger than ourselves.

This has truly taught us to never take a day off of loving the game or your teammates, and to always be thankful for every opportunity. The past 3.5 years are memories that I will always carry with me, and I wouldn’t change them for the world. This program and this game have created a lasting impact on my heart. Thank you Notre Dame College Softball coaches and teammates. Nothing but love from #23... #WeAreOne #LetsFalconGo

Alyssa Woods, Glenville State (Track & Field)
Let me say first, I love my sport, my team, my school and the conference we are a part of. I’m devastated to say the least. In track and field you work day in and day out for the entire year waiting on the season to come. When I say the entire year I mean every single day with the exclusion of two weeks. You set goals, you crush workouts, you race indoor, but ultimately for me I’m waiting for spring to hit to showcase every last ounce of work I’ve put in throughout the year. Every athlete has been robbed of that this year.

While I value the wealth that academia holds, and I am here to get a degree I didn’t sign up to only be a student. I signed up to be a student athlete. I signed up to work harder than any other college student to be successful, I signed up to run because that’s where my passion is, I signed up to compete because that’s where my heart is. I will not get to do that this season. I keep waiting on an announcement to tell me this isn’t real or that we’ll be allowed to compete. I’ve said this so many times over the last few days... I can’t believe this is real.

I feel for every senior that didn’t get to end their season on their own terms. I feel for every athlete who has put in the work since June to never have it showcased. When delivering the news to us my coach said “you’ll remember this forever” and I believe with my whole heart that is true, for better or worse this lost season will never be forgotten. I’m frustrated, upset, and defeated.

This has always been one of my favorite track quotes and it’s more applicable now than ever, “On bad days the oval is a heartbreaker. On good days she's a saint. However, at the end of either day, I know I'll be back the next.”

Meghan Hawthorne, West Liberty (Track & Field)
The balance between working hard towards your goals and maintaining a level of enjoyment in a collegiate sport is hard for some people to keep. Being a collegiate athlete requires you to be able to juggle your responsibilities of academics and athletics on a day to day basis. Some weeks are easier to juggle than others, but in the end, many aspects of this way of life keeps you coming back for more. As a sophomore athletic training major, honors student, and pentathlete/heptathlete, there were weeks as if it felt like I was constantly running around from classes to practices to athletic training hours and everything in between. This sounds like I am complaining about what I have on my plate, but I am not whatsoever. I have a love, passion, and desire for everything I partake in; I understand the time and dedication it takes to improve and succeed in the tasks at hand. This realization and quality I have is the reason I am even a part of this amazing track and field program at West Liberty University in the first place.

In high school, I did an array of events from throws to hurdles to middle distance. I did not know what my future in athletics held; if I would be a collegiate athlete, I assumed I would end up playing soccer. Due to this uncertainty in athletics, I chose to go into a sports medicine field because I knew I wanted athletics to be in my life somehow and in some way. I toured many schools before and during my senior year of high school, and West Liberty University was a college that honestly felt I could envision myself being at. My senior track season was beginning, and I was debating between West Liberty and another college. I was less than halfway through my season when Coach Simpson and Coach Cicogna began contacting me about track. I was surprised to say the least because I felt I was average, but they saw someone who works hard and puts her mind to whatever she wants to try to accomplish. So after the West Virginia Track State Championships, I was a signed scholarship athlete for track at West Liberty University.

I did not want to talk about myself much in this, but I wanted to give some background to my journey of becoming a part of this incredible team. I do not say incredible team lightly either; they are the real reason I am even writing this. The individuals and coaches on West Liberty’s track and field team are like no other people I have ever met. These people have such a fight and drive to be better than they were yesterday, while also being able to joke around and make you feel a part of our track family. People who know me have heard multitudes of times how much the people in my life mean to me. The way I see it is if you appreciate someone, you should tell them; make sure the important people in your life know they’re important. My coaches and teammates on West Liberty’s track and field team are many of my important people. The amount of hard workouts, laughs had, meters run, jokes said, weights lifted, and meals ate together do not even sum up the amount of hours we have spent together and what these people mean to me. There are too many moments from last year and this year that I can so very clearly remember that I replay or look to in order to give me motivation and to remind myself why I love this sport and team so much. I have to share one specific moment that I know I will remember for the rest of my life, and I mean that when I say it. At indoor conference this year, the final event of the heptathlon for the men is the 1000 meter run. I competed in the pentathlon the day before, but I was still throwing shot put individually. Minutes after I finished throwing, the gun went off for the 1000 meter run. Our two multi guys, Adam and Jhett, were currently in first and fifth in conference going into that race. For most of the season, I trained with both of them week in and week out with multiple practices each day. We went through days where everything was going right and days where everything was going wrong; no matter what kind of day it was though, we had each other. I feel that when you get to the last event of a pentathlon, heptathlon, or decathlon, you are ready to literally leave everything you have left after all of those events on the line. I also feel the respect us multis have for each other is so high because we know how much it takes to compete as a multi; whether you are on the same team or not, you cheer and love to see each other improve. In a blink of an eye, the guys were on their last lap on the 1000 meter; I was cheering as loud as I could as they were having the race of their lives. I sprinted down the infield of the home straight to met them at the finish line, and the feeling was truly indescribable. I have never felt that emotional after a race ever, and especially after one I did not even compete in. The amount of pride and joy I felt for them couldn’t be measured whatsoever. I’ve described that race and moment way too many times, but I feel it really encapsulates the bond many of us share on this team. Adam and Jhett, you guys know much you mean to me; I truly mean thank you for everything.

Uncertainty is the word to describe many aspects of life at the moment, but the positive certainties in your life can help you overcome these negative uncertainties. We should all look to our teammates, coaches, friends, family, and others of our support systems to realize we have each other to lean on and help each other in this foggy time. I’d like to end this by showing my unwavering gratitude and appreciation I have. Coach Simpson, I cannot thank you enough for allowing me to continue my track and field career. Being a multi and thrower on your team has allowed me to grow as a person in varieties of ways and allowed me to meet some of the most amazing people. You make us all feel so important and like family because we are a part of your team; you believe in us and support us an amount no one can describe. Being a part of your team and you being our coach has impacted and changed our lives in ways you do not even know. I can speak for everyone when I say that we can’t thank you enough and can’t wait to be back wearing the black and gold. Coach Theo, I do not think I can find the right words to sum up what you have done for us this year and the impact you have had on this team. Especially us multis can not thank you enough for everything, even the hard distance workouts and fartleks. This indoor season was more than I could have imagined, and you know how motivated we were to finally be outdoor. I have envisioned competing in the heptathlon ever since I finished the 800 meter of last year’s heptathlon at conference. Everyone has been so invested in this progress and programming since September, and it breaks our hearts that we cannot utilize this hard work for our outdoor season. I just hope you truly realize how thankful and grateful we are for you and everything we have accomplished this year. Coach Cicogna, your energy and happiness at practice every day radiates. You are always so kind and concerned with our well being as athletes, students, and people. Saying thank you seems like it doesn’t encompass our thankfulness. My teammates, we all are very disappointed right now and honestly do not know how to feel exactly. We have put in so much time, effort, love, and dedication into this sport; we were all ready for outdoor to begin. I feel we all realize the talent and potential this team has, and although this situation affects it, it doesn’t change it completely. We are still such a talented team with so much potential. We need to utilize this obstacle to hone in on why we do this sport and to reevaluate that we need appreciate every day we can practice and compete in this sport. The phrase I have used for many years is that hard work pays off, so I will look to that phrase in this eerie time; I encourage you to utilize it as well because working hard will always pay off in the end. So whenever I see you again, I hope it is in happier times, but one thing I know for certain is that these Hilltoppers will be fit, motivated, and ready to get after it.

Kaitlyn Griffith, Charleston (Softball)
When the news was brought to our teams attention that our season was gone so soon, many of us had so much to get off our chests. We did not leave each other the entire day of the decision making. None of us wanted to go home, and we definitely didn’t want to end the season just before it began. This is my freshman year of college, and my first year as a collegiate softball player. This season to me was an opportunity to prove that my abilities in the outfield are able to compete at the college level, and that I am mature enough to step on the field and be an asset. With this season gone, I now have lost so much opportunity for the experience that I need and crave as an athlete. I have to say goodbye to the teammates I feel like I just met. The memories we were going to make are now forever a mystery. The seniors deserved to play in their last season, and our team deserved to continue down the road of success. We joked about having one last conditioning session together. Even though it’s hard we ran and sprinted for the sister beside us, bringing us closer through the pain and hard work. I understand the purpose behind the decision, however it is a very hard time for our athletics program to drop its spring seasons after working so hard throughout the fall and winter. We’ll be anxiously waiting for the 2021 season to begin so we can pick up where we left off.

Amber Stokes, Concord (Softball)
Four years ago as a freshman everyone always said soak up every moment because it flies by, they were right. Now I am a senior. Over the past four years, I have made countless memories with my teammates who have become my family. Everyone I have played with will always hold a special piece of my heart because they were apart of the greatest four years of my life. I wanna thank my teammates for pushing me to be better on the field, in the weight room, and in life. Softball has taught me patience, work ethic, accountability, character, perseverance, and much more that I will be able to carry with me for the rest of my life. I wanna thank Coach Tasler for giving me the opportunity to continue playing the sport I love as the collegiate level. I also want to thank the MEC for allowing me to be the president of SAAC because I have met some great people along the way.

Justin Wisniewski, Davis & Elkins (Baseball)
This was supposed to be the year that we proved everyone wrong. A team full of talented transfers, freshmen, and returning players had our entire program excited for what was to come. As a first year JuCo transfer, I came into D&E in a tough situation. I was and am still unable to play as I am recovering from arm surgery over the summer, but I came into this program and found myself right at home. I wasn’t playing but was still so excited to be a part of the turnaround that we had just begun making. In our first 8 games we beat the 9th ranked team in the nation and a former division 1 program, and heading into conference play we knew we would be contenders. Everyone was excited, but I can only hope that excitement will carry into next season. Without a few of our seniors things will be different, and they should know they helped to shape this team into what it was this season and will be for years to come.