Emotions ran high Wednesday night at the Kohl Center as the Wisconsin women’s basketball team faced off against the Northwestern Wildcats. Tears flooded the eyes of the Badgers from the very start of the game. But it wasn’t because of any grudge against the Wildcats, nor was it because of the chance to improve on last year’s record by grabbing their fifth conference win of the season. No, these tears were tears of respect, of appreciation and most of all, tears of joy.
“It was a good thing they didn’t give us the mics before the game started,” Rich said of controlling her emotions. “We just kept it normal in the locker room before the game and stayed in our usual routine.”
Senior night began with a ceremony for three Badgers seniors, Stephanie Rich, Ebba Gebisa and Shawna Nichols. In customary fashion, the players strolled out to center court, hand-in-hand with parents, as their coaches waited in anticipation holding bouquets of flowers. The public-address announcer listed each player’s career goals as career footage shown from the Kohl Center screens.
Players hugged coaches, family and teammates before waving an appreciative hand to the fans and running off to the bench.
The game delivered what one would expect from a senior-night event. Inspired performances from the seniors, exceptional play from teammates trying to send off the seniors with a victory, and a heartfelt ovation from the crowd as the seniors exited the floor for the final time.
But the highlight of the celebration came after the game, as the departing players got the opportunity to speak to the fans. The players spoke through tears as they thanked friends, family, fans, coaches and, finally, teammates.
The most emotional outpouring went to Nichols. A former guard for the Badgers, Nichols came into Wisconsin as a freshman with Gebisa and Rich and donned the cardinal and white for two seasons before tragedy cut short her career. After suffering through numerous concussions, Nichols was unable to fully recover from her last incident and was forced to quit the team prior to last season.
For the last two years, Nichols has remained with the team as a student-coach, helping in practice on a daily basis. Wednesday night Nichols got to return to the bench, the first time since her last game as a player. But while Nichols has been absent from the bench the past two seasons, her spirit has not dwindled.
“Shawna, you’re a very courageous person, and I’m so sorry for what happened to you,” Rich said. “And if I could play off-guard for any person in the world, I’d play off-guard for Shawna Nichols.”
But while the seniors realize this is their last game in the Kohl Center, they also know it’s not their last game of the season. According to both Gebisa and Rich, the total emotional wave won’t likely hit until the entire season came to a close.
“Right now, I’m focused on Purdue,” Gebisa said. “I think after, probably, in a month it will hit me. I know I’m going to miss the game, but even more than that I’m going to miss being around my teammates.”
Anderson steals the show: In a night designated for the seniors, it was none other than freshman guard Jolene Anderson stealing the show. Anderson amassed a game-high 28 points in the victory, coming within one point of her career-high. Anderson’s 28 points was also the fourth-most points ever scored by a Badger freshman.
The freshman, however, dedicated her performance to the departing seniors.
“Just to get Steph, Ebba and Shawna a victory in their last game at the Kohl Center, that was my mindset entering the game,” Anderson said.
Anderson’s performance also gained her another believer in the Big Ten coaching ranks.
“I’ll say this — Jolene Anderson has my vote for Freshman of the Year,” Northwestern head coach Beth Combs said.
