Athletics

STALLED SEASON

Senior women’s basketball player Kara Gerka reflects on a harsh end to the season but undiminished memories of a great career

Kara Gerka looks back on the abrupt ending of her University of Saint Francis basketball career with perspective and even some gratefulness.

That wasn’t necessarily the case in March, when the Cougars were on site with high hopes for the start of the NAIA Division II National Championship Tournament. They believed they had a shot at a long, perhaps even championship, run.

Hours before their tournament opener, everything stopped. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the NAIA to end the season prematurely. Seasons usually end with the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat. Yet even in an agonizing loss, a challenge was faced. This? This was worse than defeat.

“It was especially hard for us because we knew we were in good position going into the tournament, playing a team we wanted to play, with a strong group of veterans and young talent,” Gerka said. “It was really shocking and disappointing.

“It was a tough one to swallow at the time,” Gerka said. “As I reflect, I’m still thankful my family and friends have continued to stay healthy. A lot of people have had to deal with things much more challenging than that.”

Gerka’s perspective is admirable. Yes, the cancellation of a basketball tournament ranks low on any list of devastating effects of the pandemic. But it remained something to be mourned, not only because the Cougars were 23-7 and good enough to make a tourney run, but because Gerka’s memorable USF career was over. She earned All-America honors twice, scored 1,879 points and helped her team to many thrilling wins. a player of her impact. But she cherished that final road trip with her teammates, despite the way it ended.

“I remember the night we heard about the news, and hung out as a team and talked,” she said. “Even though it was disappointing, it was good to have that time together.”

Another achievement—and disappointment—came for Gerka in the spring. She was one of three valedictorians from the USF School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. A major achievement under any circumstance, Gerka was a Bachelor of Science in Pre-Physician Assistant Studies and Biology dual major with an Associate of Science in Pre-Pharmacy. She remains at USF as a grad student, pursuing a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies.

Due to the pandemic, the 2020 Commencement was canceled, robbing Gerka of her public academic celebration.

“That was kind of a bummer; I was looking forward to that,” she said. “I put a lot of work into my academics and to not have that opportunity was disappointing.”

Despite all disruptions of Gerka’s senior year by the pandemic, she retains the upbeat attitude and approach that have served her so well at USF.

“It has been a real positive for me to make close lifelong friends and compete at a high level,” she said. “This past year was great because I go back to how I could see the culmination of a culture change. I was able to lead some of the freshmen and underclassmen and give them advice which I had received as a freshman.”

Gerka demonstrated the hard work and sacrifice needed to succeed as a student-athlete, and not even a pandemicshortened season kept her from passing that legacy on.

COUGAR SPORTS RECAP

MEN’S BASKETBALL ENDS WITH A WIN The Cougars 2019-20 men’s basketball season ended too early, but also ended with a win in dramatic fashion.

USF came back from a 16-point deficit to beat Union College 82-76 in the first round of the NAIA Division II Men’s Basketball Championship on March 12 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, S.D. Antwaan Cushingberry scored 26 points—23 in the second half—to lead the way. David Ejah scored 21 and Austin Compton 14 in the comeback win. The win improved USF to 21-11.

However, the tournament was canceled after the first round due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the season ended.

Cushingberry led the Cougars for the season with 13.3 points and 3.7 assists per game and hit 41.3% of his three-pointers (50 of 121). Connor Lautzenheiser averaged 9.7 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Jeffrey Reynolds averaged 9.5 points and a team-high 5.8 rebounds per game. He also blocked 52 shots. Jalan Mull hit 46% of his threes (46 of 100), and other sharpshooters included Hunter Hollowell (70 of 181 threes, 38.7%) and Lance Dollison (56 of 143 threes, 3.2%).

Cushingberry was an honorable mention NAIA All-America and first-team All-Crossroads League selection. Lautzenheiser was honorable mention All-Crossroads League and David Ejah was selected to the Crossroads League All-Freshmen team.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ENDS BEFORE TOURNAMENT PLAY The Cougars entered the NAIA Division II National Championship Tournament with a 23-7 record and the No. 3 seed in their bracket, but the COVID-19 pandemic took them off the floor without a tournament game. It was a frustrating ending for USF, which had posted a strong season and had high hopes for a postseason run. Four USF players earned All-Crossroads League honors for their outstanding play:

• Lauren McBryar was a second-team selection, leading the

Cougars with 12.5 points per game and 73 three-pointers. • Kara Gerka was a third-team selection, averaged 11.9 points and a team-high 4.6 rebounds per game, and finished her career with 1,879 points. • Savannah Buck was a third-team selection, ranked third in assist to turnover ratio and averaged 4.6 assists and 2.5 steals per game. • Cassidy Crawford was an All-Freshman selection, averaging 7.2 points per game. FIFTY-SIX USF ATHLETES NAMED TO ACADEMIC ALL-CROSSROADS LEAGUE The Crossroads League’s 2019-2020 Academic All-Crossroads League recognition included 56 University of Saint Francis athletes. In order to be eligible, an athlete must have reached junior status academically with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher at the conclusion of the spring semester and be nominated by their institution. Kevin Brown, Kara Gerka, Gabby Keller, Nate Conder and Clista Hellwarth all recorded perfect 4.0 GPAs.

USF HONOREES IN EACH SPORT

• Baseball: Conner Adams, Kevin Brown, Jack Harris,

Mikhail McCowin, Tyler Prince, Justice Tussing • Men’s Basketball: Lance Dollison, Connor Lautzenheiser • Women’s Basketball: Emily Applegate, Savannah Buck,

Sidney Crowe, Kara Gerka, Alexis Thorbahn • Men’s Cross Country: Ben Pilarski, Alex Wiedenhoeft • Men’s Golf: Brady Marshall, Austin Proffitt, Bryce Turner • Women’s Golf: Crystal Hanbaum, Sydney Heinbaugh,

Gabbi Keller • Softball: Brooke Herron, Anika Hoffer, Abby Mosier,

Lexy Sanders • Men’s Soccer: Nick Cachia, Julian Colantonio, Nate

Conder, Brandon Conn, Haris Kostic, Elmar Martinez,

Kyle Murray, Joseph Pedretti, Ethan Vigario • Women’s Soccer: Brey Baltazar, Cathy Basinger, Marina

Hughes, Sarah Lewis, Margaret Mary McMurtry, Kara

Morwood, Alexa Siegel • Men’s Indoor Track & Field: Kyle Forker, Jordan

Konstanty, Ben Pilarski, Clayton Sheehan, Alex

Wiedenhoeft • Women’s Indoor Track & Field: Clista Hellwarth • Volleyball: Anne Clark, Megan Diagostino, Makayla

Hissong, Dharma Jolas, Ava Kunkler, Maria Pelak,

Kendra Siefring

SPRING SEASONS CUT SHORT, FALL CHAMPIONSHIPS MOVED All spring sports seasons were halted in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The NAIA ruled that athletes would be granted an additional season of eligibility if they chose to pursue it. In July, the NAIA announced it would move its Fall 2020 national championship tournaments to Spring 2021. Individual conferences were granted the autonomy to decide whether to continue with their fall regular-season schedules.

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