One by one, all six seniors on Oregon’s women’s basketball team departed the court Saturday afternoon, to cheers from many of the 4,197 fans in attendance.
Senior Day may have ended in a loss for the Ducks, but Oregon coach Paul Westhead made sure the seniors got their rightful due after several long years in the program, a gesture that wasn’t lost on the program’s veterans.
“It’s one of those moments you won’t forget,” senior Ellyce Ironmonger said. “I think it’s really good everyone could be recognized like that, have a moment to walk off the court and take in everything that’s happened for them in their college career.”
Senior Day capped off a regular season that has been disappointing by all objective measures. As was Saturday’s 88-65 loss to Arizona. Yet, the mood in the post-game press room was far from solemn.
“I just talked to the team and thanked all of our seniors for their efforts, at least with me the last two years,” Oregon coach Paul Westhead said. “Now that this game is over, they for me right now count more than, ‘Well, how come you didn’t do this, or how come you didn’t do that?’”
The Senior Day festivities began before the game, when all six seniors — Ironmonger, Candyce Flynn, Victoria Kenyon, Tatianna Thomas, Kristi Fallin and Nicole Canepa — were individually recognized on the floor with their families and friends.
“Being able to walk onto the court for my parents, I’ll remember that for sure,” Canepa said. “Family means more to me than anything. Being there was a big thing for them because they’ve seen me grow away from home and seen me become the woman that I am.”
Before tipoff, the Australian national anthem was played — for Aussie natives Ironmonger and Kenyon — in addition to the U.S. anthem.
When the game actually began, Westhead made sure all six seniors got more than token time on the floor — in contrast to the usual playing rotation in which Irononger and Flynn rarely play. All six received more than seven minutes of game action, and all six scored. Ironmonger, a crowd favorite, elicited some of the loudest cheers of the night when she drained a three-pointer with 6:05 left.
“It was nice to get that three, finish on that note,” Ironmonger said.
Technically, the Senior Day festivities didn’t end when the final buzzer sounded. Westhead said the seniors continued to be honored in a reception and banquet that were held later in the weekend.
“I said to them to enjoy some of the festivities this weekend,” Westhead said. “There’s a reception for them this afternoon and a banquet for them tomorrow. This is a time for them to celebrate, and the game is the game. Their efforts have been spectacular.”
And that’s what Senior Day intended to commemorate — the blood, sweat and tears Oregon’s seniors have shed during their time in Eugene.
“It was a great tribute to our players,” Westhead said. “The fans were great. The presentation acknowledging them being seniors and being here for a number of years, I think speaks a lot of the University of Oregon and our program. I’m happy for them.”
For Ironmonger, the weekend served as a reminder to how the seniors have developed and matured since they arrived on campus.
“I think my group of seniors, just the relationship we have with each other now that we’re a really close group,” Ironmonger said. “The five of us that came in as freshmen, and everything we’ve been through, I think that group in general defines our time here and how resilient we’ve been and how we’ve grown up and matured since we came in as freshmen.”
[email protected]