Senior Salute: Five players, one amazing season and countless memories. The graduating Lady Knights each share one thing that made a difference.
I Was Inspired By the heart and focus of my teammates when we had to run sprints at 5 in the morning.
and Jennifer A. Lodge, participated in University service events such as the Social Work Club’s Christmas Dinner and Wellness Fair and GIVE (Gannon’s Invitation to Volunteer Everywhere) Day. In addition, while Gannon was in St. Joseph, Mo., for the Elite Eight, the team spoke to middle school students about the importance of hard work and commitment. “If we want our players to be servant leaders and role models, they need to embrace community service,” Wright added. “They need to be active and involved.” Even though the Lady Knights drew inspiration from Talent is Never Enough, they certainly had talent. Both Freeman and Tabron were named to two separate All-American teams. Freeman also was named PSAC Western Division Player of the Year, while Tabron and Crocker earned MVP honors of the Atlantic Region and PSAC tournaments, respectively.
i will miss h
anging out and living with my best fr iends. Seein g my teamm ates every d ay made my Gannon experience pr iceless.
Prior to the season, however, not everyone was convinced of the team’s talent. In one preseason national poll, Gannon inexplicably was not ranked in the top 20 despite the fact that the Lady Knights were coming off a 26-5 season in which they had advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time in the program’s history. Wright didn’t use the relatively low ranking as a type of “prove them wrong” motivation. Ever positive and upbeat, and not one to set limits, he simply told the team they could be as good as they wanted to be. The Lady Knights were pretty darn good. The basketball team became only the second program (and third team) in school history to hold the top national ranking in its respective sport, joining the 2000 and 2001 Gannon women’s lacrosse teams in earning that distinction.
Pretty in Pink For the third straight year, the women’s basketball team again raised money for breast cancer research and awareness by hosting a Pink Zone game on Feb. 13. The Pink Zone initiative was started in 2007 by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and was sponsored locally by the Center for Breast Health/Danielle M. Duchini, D.O., Hamot for Women, WJET-24, WXFP-66, Northwest Savings Bank and Ambridge Rose Spa & Salon. Organizers exceeded their goal amount by $2,000, raising $15,000 for the Erie chapter of the American Cancer Society – Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. The Lady Knights commemorated the occasion by wearing special pink uniforms for the game, which drew a crowd of more than 2,000. Funds came from the sale of T-shirts, gift baskets and other items, including a pink basketball autographed by the players. Breast cancer survivors were also recognized throughout the game. 10
gannon magazine
spring 2010
After beating Tusculum College (Tenn.) in the opening round of the D-II Elite Eight, the Lady Knights came up short in their bid for a national championship. The season ended with a heartbreaking 97-94 overtime loss to Emporia State University (Kan.), the eventual national champion, in a nationally televised game. The loss to Emporia State was the only blemish on an otherwise perfect season and was so gut-wrenching— Gannon had an 18-point lead with less than 9 minutes left in the second half—that Wright and most of the players were speechless in the locker room afterward. “This year was a blessing from God, and we are thankful. The spotlight was shone on this team because of wins, but I am happy to know that wins are not what this program is ultimately about,” he said. “Basketball is a tool for teaching life skills, and I could not be prouder of these young women.” Pronko is media relations officer at Gannon.