Torero Diaries

It was the last buzzer I would ever hear in college.  If it had gone off a few seconds earlier, everything might be different.  But our first game in Vegas ended up being our last, as we were beaten in the final moments on a last second shot. 
The sound of that particular buzzer meant that our hearts had been broken and stomped on by a team we were picked to beat.  People typically love upsets. I used to be one of those people.  But on that afternoon, when my team was stunned by the lowest seed in our conference, when our high hopes and lofty goals were shattered in an instant, when our blood, sweat and tears seemed to be in vain, I wasn't rooting for the underdog. We were supposed to win that game, or at least that's what I thought.
Disappointment was all I felt for a long time after that, and I would be lying if I said I don't replay those final seconds in my mind when I struggle to fall asleep at night. I've found that pain begins to fade over time as the important things start to come into focus. 
We flew into Vegas determined to win a championship, but what this team left with was something maybe even more valuable; a hunger. But not just any hunger. This one is stronger and deeper because it won't be satisfied until the next buzzer sounds, nearly seven months from now.  With each March Madness game watched, with every buzzer beater witnessed, and with every reminder of what this year could have been, that hunger grows. I have no doubt that next year the Toreros womens basketball team will be a force to be reckoned with.
My college basketball career is over now. It didn't end the way I had envisioned, but I also never could've imagined that these four years would be so fulfilling. 
The teammates and coaches that I have shared my life with day in and day out have influenced my character more than I can put into words. Although it may not have always been apparent, I wouldn't trade the amazing individuals or the unique experiences that we have gone through together for any trophy or any win.
 My love for the game still runs deep, and my body is continuing to function relatively well. My next goal is to pursue a career playing basketball overseas. I have yet to hear a more appealing job description than living in a foreign land while getting paid to play the sport I love. 
Regardless of where I end up in life, I will remember always to appreciate the sound of the buzzer, and how it marked the end of one familiar chapter in my life, and the beginning of another very new and special one.