“I don’t even know where to begin,” Senior Captain Bri Radtke said about the Gustavus Women’s Basketball team’s 2009-10 season.

On Monday, March 1, the women found out they did not receive a bid to the National Tournament. This news was only more heartbreaking after their close loss to the University of St. Thomas on February 24, 2010. After a season with great accomplishments, the team’s record dropped from 20-5 to 20-6 after a set of free throws. They claimed third place in the MIAC Championship Tournament, but sadly, that is where their journey ended.

“Of all the years I have played basketball, and let me tell you there were many of them,” Radtke said, “this was by far my favorite.” What made this successful could have been the great teamwork that led the women to 20 wins and only six losses.

Since the beginning of the season, it may have seemed like a Cinderella story. In their 2008-09 season, the women lost in the quarterfinals of the MIAC Tournament to Bethel and ended the season 16-10. However, the Gustie women were determined not to repeat the past.

They practiced like crazy in preseason, and did not let up throughout the remainder of their time on the court this winter. “The last week of our season was physically and emotionally tough; we were plagued a little by sickness and injury, and nothing seemed to go the way we wanted it,” Radtke said. On Senior Day, the women defeated Bethel 64-56 and had only St. Thomas and St. Ben’s as their last regular-season games.

For their second-to-the-last game, they beat St. Thomas 66-56 to earn at least half of the MIAC league title. On February 21, 2010, the women lost by only two points to St. Ben’s by a score of 67-65, which meant they tied the Bennies for the MIAC title.

“The last two losses were for a [combination] of five points. If you were to add up all the points that we lost by in the Conference games, it would be 26 points and we only lost five games,” Junior Brittany Holm said. “That’s how close we were in all of our games, especially the last two. We were reminded how every possession, every pass, every shot and every effort for a loose ball counts.”

The memories too count just as much for the seniors this year. For the four captains on the team, this is it. The last time they played for Gustavus was on February 24, 2010. For many of the remaining team members, it is a great loss.

Holm had kind words to say about all of the seniors, and her words show the dedication expected and exhibited from all members of the team: “[Radtke] is a phenomenal player and hard worker. She led best by example and just seeing her come in early or stay after practice made you want to do the same as well. [Senior] Amber [Steffenhagen] was the ‘Rudy’ of the team. She came to practice and did all the little things right. She didn’t play a lot but she had a lot of heart and passion for this game.

[Senior Captain Katie] Layman was a vocal leader on the court. She was always encouraging others, talked on defense nonstop and said things at the right time. [Senior] Julia [Schultz] was a versatile player. She could probably play any position but was best at the shooter spot. Not only could she shoot three [pointers], but she could rebound as well. She also brought creativity to the team,” Holm said.

Holm along with Junior Molly Mathiowetz will be the only players to return next year, and they have great shoes to fill. The commitment to the game and to each other could be what made this year so special. “It is hard to describe to others just what a great, talented, atheletic and genuine team we had. Our chemistry on and off the court was unbelievable,” Radtke said.

The journey that many collegiate athletes take is often their last competitive one. For four years they live their sport. They commit and contribute to a family and universe that only some can be lucky enough to participate in. “For the four seniors—Bri, Katie, Amber and I—our basketball days are over,” Schultz said. “It’s a weird feeling. We’ve grown up, moved away from home, survived college and through all those changes or hard times, basketball has been that constant that we could always count on and look forward to. It’s sad to see that end. It’s a bittersweet feeling.”

As many individuals on Gustavus’ campus enter or finish their last season on whichever field they call their own, many feel the way Radtke and Shultz do. Although they are individuals, they found a family in their teammates. Many teams could only hope for the great success the Women’s Basketball team had in the last few weeks. It claimed part of the MIAC title and was points away from a trip to the NCAA court. The women are proud and positive about the future.

“For the rest of the team, they have a lot to look forward to next season. There’s a lot of experience returning,” Shultz said, “and every girl coming back from both JV and varsity squads has a unique talent to bring. The future of Gustie Women’s Basketball is a bright one.”