Even though the season has been shortened, rescheduled and even paused at times, Maryville Saints are thankful they had the chance to compete this year.
Even though the season has been shortened, rescheduled and even paused at times, Maryville Saints are thankful they had the chance to compete this year.
Men’s basketball coach Jessie Shaw didn’t get a chance to meet his team in person until mid-September, even though Maryville had hired him last spring. Shaw then started the season in November knocking off Missouri S&T 76-67 for his first victory as head coach.
“That was a great night,” Shaw said about his first game. “It’s intimidating to start your tenure with conference games. But to secure a win right away was an awesome feeling.”
That, along with the women’s basketball team playing that same evening, were the first games for any of the high-contact Maryville sports teams this year. Golf, swimming, bowling and the cross-country teams were able to start earlier in the season under different NCAA guidelines.
Shaw’s first year as coach was challenging because several players were quarantined during the season, and early-season coaching sessions happened via Zoom. The most formidable change was that the team only had 10 full-team practices before the season commenced.
“Athletes tend to be resilient, so most of the teams made the adjustments necessary in order to compete,” said Lonnie Folks, ’82, ’98, director of athletics and recreation. “I believe that COVID tested the wills of these young people and those still standing will be stronger mentally because of it. That being said, I hope that they never have to do it again.”
An alteration to the start of the season from fall to spring put Faith Ahlhardt and the women’s volleyball team out of sorts, but they realized this was necessary so the team could compete. “It was disheartening to have our season moved right before we were going to start,” Ahlhardt said. “But after a few weeks, I knew this was the best decision regarding the circumstances and would actually give us more time to practice together as a team.”
Another major difference for her this year has been the restrictions that were put into place for practices when they could only play in small groups. It was only this spring when the team was allowed to have a full-team practice. “We were required to wear our masks during practice and workouts,” Ahlhardt explained about the other changes. “Also, everyone on the team got tested regularly for COVID-19.”
Ahlhardt hopes a regular season is in store starting this fall. “I will be a senior next year and I hope to come back in the summer to start our preseason and have a full fall season,” she said. “Returning to a normal season will give the team more of an opportunity to bond from the beginning of the year.”
Women’s golf student-athlete Carmen Villaverde Gomez thought her collegiate career was over last March. “I remember breaking into tears when I heard the news,” she said. “It was so sudden and unexpected, especially for me being the only senior. I had just come off an outstanding tournament performance, and I thought it was the last time I had played with my teammates.”
But on September 2, 2020, the NCAA approved a resolution allowing her and other fall student-athletes the chance to compete once more. She’s taken advantage of the reprieve with two second-place finishes at the Dan Salisbury Tournament and the Bearcat Dual Gender Tournament, where she also helped the squad set a team stroke record.
But she will have to wait until late spring to attempt to reach her final goal. “My goal since freshman year was to be in a national championship before my college career was over, and I hope I can make that dream come true,” she said.
Villaverde Gomez is also playing her last season in memory of Iowa State golfer Celia Barquin Arozamena, who was killed in 2018. The two grew up just 20 minutes from each other in Spain and had often practiced and competed on the same courses. Villaverde Gomez honors her with a ribbon on her golf bag.