I admit that I was hesitant to embark on a sport that would take over my schedule, and I was terrified for that first week of practice. Now I'm a graduating senior and look back on my decision to play basketball as one of the very best parts of my college career.

My freshman season was fantastic. Between my fabulous teammates, sense of pride on campus, and being named Second Team All-SCIAC, I was on cloud nine. Then it all came crashing down early one morning during my sophomore year. I had torn my ACL. I was out for the season and never
even got to play in a game. Devastated by the injury, I realized just how much I loved the sport. It was a tough transition from player to spectator, but in the end the injury became a blessing. I was able to study in Paris that spring, and in doing so, I traveled guilt free knowing that I didn't have to choose between basketball and study abroad.

My final two seasons have been equally rewarding. When that final buzzer rang on my last game, I knew that my life would never be the same. In those first few weeks post season, it was like there was a
void in my life. Unlike being injured where I knew there was still a future, my identity as an Athena basketball player will never be repeated.

I will forever cherish the friendships and the memories. Basketball has been my source of laughter, competition, exercise, pride, and challenge for four years.

The season marked one of the most competitive in SCIAC history, with the conference dominated by competition between the CMS team and the Bulldogs. It was only fair that these two outstanding teams competed against each other in the last dual meet of the regular season, with the Athenas pulling ahead with a score of 139 - 104, and the Stags dropping by only 5 points (a second place finish score in an individual event) to the Bulldogs.

CMS Swim and Dive are not only defined by incredible season rankings and statistics. Talented swimmers, divers and coaches share a commitment to excellence and dedication to our sport. With one of the largest co-ed teams representing the Stags and Athenas, team goals are defined by a devotion to personal responsibility and merit.

After losing honorary All-American Vincent Pai (HMC '12) in the 400 medley relay on the first night of the conference championship to an injury, freshman Brad Perfect (HMC '13) hustled and gave a lifetime best performance to help secure a second place finish in the 200 medley relay the following night. The 100 backstroke race was dominated by five Athenas: Katie Bilotti (CMC '12), Tessa Dover (CMC '11), Jenni Rinker (HMC '11), Elsa Cheng (CMC '13) and Amy Tresenrider (CMC '12) after the morning preliminaries. The championship final resulted in a 1-2-3-4-6 finish, giving CMS a huge vote of confidence after Pai's heartbreaking injury.

CMS Swim and Dive went on to send 4 Stags and 7 Athenas to the NCAA Division III National Championships. Annie Perizzolo (CMC '11) won 2 national champion titles in the 100 and 200 breaststroke, and the Athena relay team came 2nd in both medley relays. The Athenas concluded with their highest finish ever (5th place) at the national championships. The Stags had a relay team at nationals for the first time in 10 years and finished 41st.

This works out to be true for precisely one reason and one reason only: my teammates. One of the best parts about going to CMC is the quality of students as people in the student body and my teammates do a fantastic job of carrying on this tradition. In a way that is not easy to understand, they formed a brotherhood that welcomed me and the other incoming freshmen from the first day that we arrived. Stepping on to campus for the first time, we had a group of friends and more importantly, a group people who genuinely cared for our well-being. No matter what I needed nor when I needed it, someone would always be there to help me out. Knowing that this support network existed immediately calmed any unrest that I might have had. As I got to know the upperclassmen, my fellow freshmen, and our coaching staff, I knew that I was in for a special four years.

CMS Athletics are unique in the sense that two typically distinctive qualities of a school are combined into one: competitive sports and outstanding academics. Winning numerous league championships over the past several years (two of those proudly added to the count by the basketball team), the system that coaches use seems to be doing something right. Across the board, I have witnessed an uncompromising stance that places academics as a priority to athletics. From the outside, this may appear to be strange. One would think that certainly some of the competitive nature must disappear if coaches are encouraging students to study for an exam in lieu of practicing before the big game. I have found what occurs to be just the opposite. We appreciate the privilege and responsibility that our coaches give us by placing academics first and in turn are more motivated to work harder in both. This creates an environment that sets us up to thrive in each field. Knowing that my coach would understand if I had to miss a practice to finish up a lab or meet with a professor took a tremendous load off of my shoulders. We student-athletes at CMC feel fortunate to be able to continue to play the sports we love at the collegiate level yet still maintain our focus towards school.

Our basketball season this year went by quickly but we had a great time. Winning SCIAC for the second year in a row was definitely the high point of the season. Losing out first NCAA playoff game left us wanting more. We are all excited about getting the next season going and I know that I can't wait to see what next year brings. Regardless of what happens, I am certain that I have found a place I love and where I belong.

This year's Athenas Soccer team is the most accomplished in CMS history. We were undefeated in SCIAC, the SCIAC regular league Champions and the SCIAC Tournament Champions. The senior class has not finished a season without some kind of championship, another major success for the Athenas.

CMS versus Pomona-Pitzer. Cross-street opponents. The BIG rivalry. To compare it to some of the greatest rivalries in history, I'd put it right up there with USC vs. UCLA, Berkeley vs. Stanford and Yale vs. Harvard. Yep, that's right, its HUGE and what makes it even cooler than all those old school rivalries is that our campuses are actually adjoined. So after the big game you just cross Sixth Street and walk back to your own gym. Who knows, you may even have class with someone on the other team the next day. It is an interesting dynamic, but that's what makes it such a sweet rivalry.

On Saturday, Athena' Soccer took on the Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens. Although we won in our first match-up earlier in the season, Pomona-Pitzer always comes out ready for a battle when they play us. The game was designated as their Senior Game. Last year when we played them on their field it was also their Senior Game. The seniors walked out when their names were called on a red carpet wearing tiaras. I think we were all a bit embarrassed for them, and then we lost. Actually, we got crushed 3-0. We came out flat when we should have come out ready to dominate them, if not for the sole fact that they were wearing tiaras.

So this season, the day before the game, Keri, our coach, said that we could not let the fact that it was their Senior Game get to us again. We needed to come ready to play. She also said that if they came out on a red carpet again with tiaras we better not lose. Thankfully there were no tiaras or red carpets, just a simple and eloquent blurb about each senior's accomplishments. When the game started it was clear that we were ready. We scored early and won decisively 3-0. It was a fun game and a great way to start Fall Break. We walked backed to Ducey Gym, just across Sixth Street with smiles on our faces, knowing that the Athenas have the upper hand in the rivalry for another year. Just like any of those historic rivalries, the battle is never truly over. Next year we will fight again.