March 12, 2008

Philadelphia has become our home away from home. On Thursday, March 6, at 5 a.m. we left Frericks gym for the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship in Philly. This would be our fourth trip this season to the city of brotherly love. While one may assume that nothing exciting normally happens at 5 a.m., this has been no ordinary year for the Dayton Flyers. In one of the greatest acts of school spirit I have ever seen, the Dayton Flyer Pep band bid us farewell as we loaded the bus. With most still donning their fashionable sleepwear, the band sent us into the sunrise with our hearts full of pride and anticipation.

This would be the beginning of a trip that would be full of unique circumstances. We encountered: having no rooms to check into at the hotel when we arrived, me being locked in my room by a faulty door, interesting hosts at our breakfast buffet, whistling windows, and an hour and half rain delay for our second round game. Despite all of this, the girls played extremely well, making it to the semifinal game; which we lost by five points to No. 1 seeded Temple.

With our season now in the hands of the selection committees, I'd like to take the time to reflect on what has been a magical season. We've traveled from West Coast (New Mexico and San Diego) to the East Coast (Massachusetts and New York City), with multiple stops in-between (Chicago and Wisconsin). While the scenery changed, one thing remained the same: the family. Wherever we went, we went as a family. Just think, throughout the season we ate together, traveled together, lived together, laughed together, cried together, celebrated together, and worked together. Whatever it was, we did it together; just like a family. What have we accomplished together? Here's a quick list of achievements reached this year:

• A school record 16-game winning streak
• The program's first ever votes in the AP Top 25 Poll
• The third most improved team in the nation
• The first 20-win season in program history since turning Division I
• ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second Team Selection (Karah Cloxton)
• A-10 Second Team Selection (Nikki Oakland)
• A-10 Rookie Team Selection (Kristin Daugherty)
• A-10 Academic Team Selection (Karah Cloxton)
• A-10 All-Championship Team Selection (Nikki Oakland)
• A-10 Coach of the Year (Jim Jabir)

Sure, some of these are individual accolades. However, those individuals would be the first to tell you that they would not have been able to obtain them if it were not for every other member of the team. Before I say my final farewell, I'd like to give thanks to a few people. First off, I'd like to thank you, the faithful readers of my column. I hope that I have been able to provide you with a little insight, entertainment, and maybe even a little laughter. Secondly, I'd like to thank the athletics communication department for allowing me to start Thoughts from the Road. Without them, I wouldn't be writing this and you wouldn't be reading this. Finally, I'd like to thank the team. Thank you to all the girls, trainers, and coaches. You have truly made the last two years of college experience both unique and joyful. Time may change, but one thing will always remain...we are the Flyer Family.

"I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion."-Mia Hamm