We're all in this together

Spring sports seasons cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic

On Friday, March 13, 2020, the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) board voted to cancel the regular spring conference sports season and championships for the rest of the academic year due to the coronavirus pandemic. This is a precautionary step that has been taken by the MIAC President’s Board in order to create social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus. Although at this point, no one from the St. Catherine University community has a confirmed case of COVID-19, the university administration is also taking precautionary steps to ensure the safety and health of all students, faculty, and staff.

For St. Kate’s athletes, all practices, games, meets, and spring break athletic trips have been cancelled. Up to this point, athletes have been training hard for weeks, getting physically and mentally fit to compete in their spring sport seasons. Being a collegiate athlete at St. Catherine University is more than just hard work and accomplishment. Each athlete loves their sport and their team for many reasons, and being an athletic competitor gives them a sense of joy and fulfillment.

Batter up! Softball still swingin’

“To me, team means family,” says softball player Amber Montero ‘19 (Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program). “Team is about putting the best interest of the whole above your own and loving one another conditionally. This year's team has refined an incredible culture of love and commitment to one another and our common goal. This culture is what makes this team special and what makes us a family.” 

Autumn Mortenson ‘20 (Mathematics and Economics) takes a swing. Photo provided by Lindsay Madryga.

The St. Kate’s Softball team is a still strong-knit group with shared values, despite the changes to the 2020 spring sports season. During the off-season, the softball team set their core values, which they call “ouRPACt.” As a team, they decided they want to focus on Respect, Patience, Acceptance, and Commitment.

 “Each person on the team has their own traditions that they follow,” says Mikayla Grant ‘21 (Psychology). “One thing we all have in common is our purple wristbands. These wristbands remind us that we have each other no matter what happens.”

Track & Field running with the changes

St. Kate’s Track & Field team has already been training and competing for a few weeks. Recently, the team beat the College of St. Benedict for the first time since 2002. Although they won’t be competing again this season, members of the team reflect on what they love about their sport.

“I love lots of things about track,” says Julia Clark ‘20 (Exercise and Sport Science pre-Physical Therapy). “I love seeing my teammates compete at new levels and reaching those new levels myself — the exhaustion after a PR [personal record] race, or the look on a high jumper's face after clearing a PR height, because it takes so much patience and hard work and overcoming setbacks to reach those moments.”

Distance runners Claire LaVigne ‘23 (Psychology), Megan Perkins ‘22 (Public Health and Spanish), Anya Swanson ‘22 (Nursing), and Victoria Barkosky ‘23 (Dietetics) pose for a picture during an indoor track meet. Photo provided by Lindsay Madryga.

Although hard-work and patience is important, members of the team make an effort to get together and have fun as well. Because track & field is such a unique sport with jumpers, sprinters, distance runners, relay teams, and throwers all making up one team, practices are usually separate. To combat that separation, the team gets together for “Decathlon Days,” two days in December set aside for friendly competition, and team bonding fun.

Tennis is served a short but successful season

The St. Kate’s Tennis team had a successful start to their spring season, with multiple team wins in February and March against teams such as the University of St. Thomas and Carleton College. Although their season has been cut short, the tennis players are glad they had a chance to show their competitors what they can do this year.  

“[What I love about tennis is] that anyone can beat anyone on any given day,” says Reilee Schepper ‘22 (Exercise Science pre-Occupational Therapy). “Tennis is a sport where if you go out and play your hardest, good things will happen. I think our match against Carleton really proved that.”

The St. Kate’s Tennis team huddles close together on home court. Photo provided by Lindsay Madryga.

The competitive spirit within each player keeps the team pushing through. “I love tennis because it's both an individual and team sport,” says Ella Graham ‘21 (English and Mathematics). “Each of us have to give our best effort in our own matches in order to win the match overall.”

Golf still a driven, above par team

Golf is distinctive in the way that the team’s competitive season spans both fall and spring. Coming from a very successful and record-breaking season, players and head coach Mary Giorgi say it is the best season they have ever had. Moving forward with the cancellation of the spring season, the St. Kate’s golf team is staying positive and they are happy with the fall season’s results.

Maddie Weinman follows her ball after a swing at a tournament in Hastings, Minnesota. Photo provided by Mary Giorgi.

The athletes were above par as a team during the 2019-2020 season. “This year the players have high expectations of each other,” says head coach Mary Giorgi. “You are expected to work hard and do everything you can to save shots on the golf course. This is the most dedicated team we've had in my time at St. Kate's. On top of that, this group has worked hard at staying positive during the hard days and remembering we are lucky to have the opportunities we do at St. Kate's Golf.”

The golf players are always there for each other and are working together to succeed academically and athletically. “Team is the support system that is there for you both on your best days, but even more importantly on your worst days,” says Maddie Weinman ‘20 (Biochemistry). “They are there to push you to be the best version of yourself in all aspects of life. They are there to lean on, support you, and to celebrate some of your greatest accomplishments with.”

Staying positive (but not COVID-19 positive)

As we take an extra week off of the semester for spring break, we must remember that we are a family here at St. Kate’s. Although it may seem like the world is ending, we must not lose sight of who we are as a community and as a university. Look around you — everyone is going through a frightening time because of the COVID-19 situation, but we are also here to support each other. Let us remember that we make each other strong and we’re all in this together.