Both the men’s and women’s basketball seasons have come to an end; however, the teams have laid the foundation for the coming years in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.
Prior to this year, Melvin Felix was at the forefront for the men’s team throughout his seven seasons as assistant coach with the Running Royals. In his first season as head coach, Coach Felix said, “Our senior class was great from the beginning of this season all the way to the end.”
For the first time since 2003, eight seniors experienced a leadership change that brought a different coaching style to the team. “In their individual careers,” said Felix, “they have all had some challenges, including having to adjust to a new head coach their senior year. They made this transition for me a smooth one and they laid the first brick for the future of our program.”
Coach Felix had the opportunity to watch these players grow. Senior Travis Clower said, “Coach Mel always did a good job of reminding us that life is a lot like basketball. It’s not about the hard times you go through, but how you respond to those hard times. I think basketball has taught me a lot about how to get through difficult times.”
The team’s resiliency was on display throughout the season, maybe no more than on the road at Virginia Wesleyan. “[A high point] would be going to Virginia Wesleyan and getting down early in the game, but sticking together and coming out of there with a win at the buzzer,” said Felix.
Seniors Tariq Caldwell and Clower also deemed this game a highlight of their season. “My favorite memory from this year is going down to Virginia Wesleyan and upsetting them on a last-second shot, then celebrating in the locker room,” Caldwell said.
As seniors leave their collegiate careers behind, they impart final pieces of advice to their remaining team members. “I hope the underclassmen understand that four years will be over before you know it,” said senior Sammy Thomas. “They have to treat every practice, game, shoot-around, and everything like it is their last. I hope they do not wait until their senior year to try their absolute best.”
Senior Josh Good’s advice: “Stick together as one team, no matter what adversities come their way.”
With the season at its end, Coach Felix is proud of the team’s accomplishments this season. “Obviously, we would have liked to win more games and get deeper into the ODAC tournament,” Felix said. “With all of the ups and downs we had this season though, we kept our chins up, kept working, and continued moving forward.”
Although the women’s team is not losing quite as many seniors as the men’s team, they said farewell to five of their members with their final game. While those seniors competed in their last season at EMU, Jenny Logan completed her first season as head coach. “Having been in the conference for three seasons prior to this, I knew what this group of seniors was capable of,” Logan said. “I was really excited to get the opportunity to work with them. From day one, I could tell they were a group with fun energy who were seeking growth and further ways to impact the program.”
As senior Lindsey Krisak moves onto future endeavors, she wants her teammates to take that energy and integrate it into their daily lives. “I hope the underclassmen can grasp the concept of hard work and give their all in everything they decide to do. Whatever their role as an underclassman is, I encourage them to do it enthusiastically and thoroughly.”
The senior class left their mark on the rest of the team. “Our seniors were the leaders of our team in so many ways,” said sophomore Cheyenne Suamataia-Teo. “They are hardworking, passionate, and set a good example of what the program should be in the future. Everyone will miss them, their energy, and leadership.”
Coach Logan appreciates the impact the seniors left on the team and how it has fostered a community of support both on and off the basketball court. “There’s no doubt that they have had a significant impact on the EMU women’s basketball program and community. It has been a joy to watch them and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for each of them. I know they will continue to serve others and have a positive influence on whatever community they choose to call home.”
Krisak reflects on her time as a four-year athlete in an overwhelmingly positive light. “The environment from my team, coaches, and our fans just reminded me exactly why I chose to come to EMU, and I’ll never forget it,” she said. “I will be taking so much from what I have learned here as an athlete into my future.”
Even though seniors such as Krisak are moving into futures outside of EMU basketball, Logan believes in the future of the EMU basketball team. “While we have a large senior class, we are also fortunate to have a group of underclassmen who play key minutes for us and will return with that experience. We are really looking forward to seeing players step up into leadership roles and help to continue to grow our program into the brand of basketball we want to play night in and night out.”
Looking ahead to next season, Logan hopes to see the energy from this season carry over. “We will have a relatively young team next season and are looking forward to seeing them become a cohesive group that competes passionately,” she said.
