Senior Night

[Bevo]

The emotional spectacle known as 'Senior Night' began in the Big XII last evening as a tearful quartet of Lambert, Collins, Crockrom and McCormack bid farwell to the fans in Waco (for the regular season at least - we know they'll be back). On Saturday, the Texas foursome of Cook, Hill, Godfrey and Larkin have their chance to wave goodbye. It has certainly been a roller-coaster four years (two in Larkin's case) for this group. There have been some low moments, but consider a few of the highs, if you will:

- Cook, Godfrey and Hill each played for two years alongside one of the UT greats and All-American Edwina Brown.
- The group has the distinction of being the first players since Vicki Hall and Joanne Benton left in '93 that knows first-hand of the satisfaction of a win over Tennessee (Hall and Benton didn't beat Tenn. in '93, but as freshmen in 1989).
- These ladies have played for one of the all-time greatest coaches in the history of the game.

Now, they have a chance to really leave a legacy at UT. First, leave the Erwin Center in style by beating the Aggies Saturday afternoon. Then, win the final regular season game and spoil Kansas' senior night on Tuesday. Then fight like crazy and who knows, they could very well become the first UT class to win the Big XII tourney.

Now the fun really begins...re-enter the Erwin Center in style and whoop up on some non-conference foes in the NCAA 1st/2nd rounds and get to the Sweet 16. Then its off to some distant location to really shock the nation and come back through Austin on the way to San Antonio and the Final Four. It COULD happen! It all starts Saturday, which should truly be a beginning, not an ending. I'll wait another month or so before saying "Thanks for the memories!"

I'm sure others have thoughts on their favorite teams' upcoming senior nights as well.

[swok34]

oh egads....don't know if I want to think about it.

Oklahoma ends theirs next Wednesday with Texas Tech in the house, you know that's rather befitting to be hosting the team that you truly admire and have modelled your program around.

This group of seniors leaving OU have truly turned the program upside down, Stacey Dales, Laneisha Caufield, Jennifer Cunningham, Shannon Selmon, and of course the 2 that have brought a lot in their 2 seasons here: Rosalind Ross and Jamie Talbert.

Stacey Dales.....what fun she has been to watch, the razzle dazzle passes, the balls that sizzled so hot her freshmen year, sometimes I thought the other players just weren't ready to handle them...
they learned by her sophomore year when it was the Dales/Whaley show. Stacey's junior year takes everything off the charts; she was so visibly improved after spending the summer at the Olympics.
OU's first All American, will probably be OU's highest WNBA draft pick.

Laneisha Caufield.....I heard a story about how Laneisha played post in high school and how she worked all summer with her father to play a guard position, running, running, running. Laneisha has been a lot of fun, her passion, her enthusiasm, her quick hands.

a note about Cunningham, I will never forget Jennifer's defense in the sweet sixteen win over Purdue. Cunningham was incredible defensively that game. Really sad to see the effort she put in the summer prior to her junior year, and it showed, only to have yet another ACL tear.

I really have enjoyed watching Roz play, what an attitude for the game she has and what she has endured to play the game she loves.
Jamie Talbert, I really like Jamie, I don't think she's been as consistent this year as she perhaps was last year....but she never stops, never gives up.
I think it's gonna be a sad/happy day in Norman come next Wednesday.

[Bobcat4956]

I remember going to Norman last year and watching Cunningham dominate inside against a young Stacy Stephens. I thought what a great player. Then two knee injuries. What a sad sad thing to happen to her. I have watched her on the bench this year cheering her team on and seeming to have such a WONDERFUL attitude. It would be easy to get bitter, but she is truly a class act. She may not think any of us, especially fans from other schools, have noticed, but she has set a wonderful example and I applaud her and wish her the very best. A wonderful attitude. Good Luck Miss Cunningham!!!!

[schooner2]

Originally posted by swok34:
Stacey Dales.....what fun she has been to watch, the razzle dazzle passes, the balls that sizzled so hot her freshmen year, sometimes I thought the other players just weren't ready to handle them...

I still vividly remember the day I happened by the media office to get some information. I ran into Marita Hynes (asst. athletic director at OU) and she was estatic because she just found out that Dales had verbaled to OU. Wow, does 5 years past by quickly or what!!

[kate dawg]

Sobfest Boulder style is tomorrow night....I don't know if I could do justice for what Bohman, Delepine, Hartshorn, Nightingale and Roulier have meant to CU hoops. So I won't try.


[This message has been edited by kate dawg (edited 02-22-2002).]

[kate dawg]

Ooh...new addition from the CU Website... http://cubuffs.fansonly.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/022202aab.html

[Jennifer]

Good article, thanks for sharing.

CU Senior night will be about as tearful as OU's.

[swok34]

another note about OU's senior night:

I heard a month or so ago that OU was trying to work it out for Assis. Coach Stacey Hansmeyer to sing the national anthem. I don't know if that's been set or not.

[hawkeye]

After 4 years of great games with this year's graduating seniors, all I can think to do is thank them for the incredible dedication, time, effort, joy, pain and tears they've shared with us. You have given so much to the sport.
Thank you for the countless memories....May God bless each of you.

[kate dawg]

what was great about the article was that it was written by Linda Lappe, who was their classmate before the injury to her knee.

[Jennifer]

Kate Dawg, I noticed that Lappe wrote it but forgot she was in that class.

Who was the point guard it referred to who was a year ahead of Mandy? Weddle? Pardon my short memory...

[unkiemark]

Yes, it was Weddle. She is a senior at the University of Denver this season.

[Bball Girl]

First thanks to swok34 for the kind words, it seems like Tech has ended the last few seasons playing OU...

Tanisha Ellison and Amber Tarr spent most of their first couple of years on the bench. In fact, I can clearly see Amber and T clutching hands daring to believe the Tech could beat Notre Dame and advance to the Elite 8. T is the fire and passion...she gets her team mates and the fans reved up. She really struggled some last year and the beginning of this year...but has rediscovered her role as one of the enforcers under the basket. T had a monster game against TAMU with her mom watching her from the stands (T's mother lives in Houston and hasn't been able to come to many games). She graduates in May with a Communications degree and plans to enter grad school.

Amber is the cool, calculating on the court. She game in a Miss Basketball, a terrific HS post player and has tranformed herself into a terrific shooter and defender. Amber's taken on a leadership role this year, directing traffic on the court, finding the pull up jumpers, pulling down key rebounds... She also graduates in May with Finance degree and plans to enter the MBA program.

Candi White's only been here for two year...but she's become the heart and soul of the team this year. She won back her starting PG position from Jia with her never say die leadership on and off the court. She doesn't shoot a great deal, but when she does she makes it count. She wants to coach at the college level.

It's hard to see these kids leave...they have become my three favorite players. Their reputation on the court and off the court here at Tech is great. They are respected by their team mates, the coaches, the fans, and their fellow students and their professors!

We will miss them!

[Bevo]

Well, the Longhorn seniors certainly left the Erwin Center (for the regular season) in style today, trouncing arch-rival TAMU and gaining a measure of revenge for the loss earlier this month. All four seniors played and scored. What a great way to go out!

[RaiderPower1]

I didn't think UT had any rivals...

[Bobcat4956]

Raiderpower you've just got to always run that mouth don't you. I won't touch that. It's not even worthy.

[RaiderPower1]

ok...don't touch it...I was just takin' a quote from Ms. Condrat. http://hoopscoop.net/ubb/confused.gif

[horntooter]

Bobcat - good response. Those comments are not worth reacting to. It was a great game, and particularly nice to see Dana getting extended minutes on the floor. For a long period in the second half, all four seniors were on the floor together and our starters got a long rest. We had 13 turnovers to TAMU's 24, a nice reversal from the game at A&M. We handled the press well and got several uncontested layups under the basket. It was also nice to see Tai playing well.

[KSUron]

Don't get to harsh with Raider. I think he just wants to good naturedly pull your chain and at least he did not get vulgar with his first remark.

[RaiderPower1]

I appologize for hurting people's feelings. Just giving a little "rivalry" leg pulling.

[Bobcat4956]

No problem Raiderpower. Whatever Coach Conradt said about no rivalries does not go for me or for most fans I know. TT and UT is one of the most heated. I could dig back but I won't. Trying to calm down a bit. Like you, I feel very passionately about my team. Go Horns!!!!

[RaiderPower1]

ok