Like Michael Jordan knocking down the game winning shot over the Utah Jazz in 1998, or Ted Williams hitting a home run in his final at bat in 1960, I am writing my last column as an Eagle staff writer, going out on top after witnessing arguably one of the best four year stretches in AU sports history.
When I first came to The Eagle in the spring of 2006, AU was still known as that sleepy school in northwest D.C. Sure, we had some Division I sports that were successful, such as soccer and volleyball, but nothing that really put us on the map nationally. Today, the Eagles can been seen on ESPN, viewed on Yahoo! Sports and read about in The Washington Post. What a difference four years can make.
Throughout my career at the Eagle, I have covered just about anything and everything, from track meets at the University of Maryland, College Park, to men's and women's soccer out on Reeves Field during my senior year. These events have taken place anywhere from packed Bender Arena, where you can barely hear yourself think, to a quiet Jacobs Field, where you can hear the players talking to each other. Each and every game was unique and special in its own right, but there are two games that will always stand out in my mind.
The first was the 2008 Patriot League title game in Bender Arena, where the Eagles clinched their first-ever birth in the NCAA tournament. I had flown back that morning from spring break to cover the event, and when I got to the Bender Arena tunnel before the game, I knew it was going to be a special day. As the seconds ticked down, and I saw the students storm the floor, it was a moment I will never forget. Seeing the alumni and fans celebrate will always have a special place in my heart.
The second game was this year's NCAA tournament game in Philadelphia. It was the first time since that track meet at Maryland that I had traveled to cover the Eagles on the road. My fellow Eagle staffers Andrew Tomlinson and Phillip Ochs drove the three hours with me, and it was worth every second. Walking onto the Wachovia Center court to find our seats and seeing all of the AU fans behind us in the stands took my breath away. I knew I had hit the pinnacle of my college writing career and made the previous four years worth it.
Of course, none of these experiences would have ever happened without meeting some of the greatest people one can work with over the past four years.
From coaches such as Jeff Jones, Melissa McFerrin and Todd West to administrators such as Keith Gill, Nancy Yasharoff, Andrew Chesebro and Anthony Wilson, you guys were always very accommodating and professional.
To former athletes like Sal Caccavale, Meghan Thiel and Elizabeth Maloney as well as current stars Garrison Carr, Derrick Mercer and Brian Gilmore, you guys always answered each question with both class and dignity after either a thrilling victory or heartbreaking defeat.
Finally, to those I have worked closely with at The Eagle, including Kevin Hilgers, Erin Keaveney, Anna Tuman, Shaun Flynn, Tom Feeney and Andrew Tomlinson: You guys were the best writers I have ever met and a lot of fun to work with. Other sections might have more events to cover and have a higher profile, but we arguably have the most fun.
To those continuing here at AU, continue to build upon what we have seen in the past four years. Continue to attend basketball and volleyball games at Bender Arena, pack the metal bleachers for soccer matches at Reeves Field and stand on the artificial turf of Jacobs Field for lacrosse and field hockey. It is up to you to continue the rising sports tradition of AU.
No matter where I am in life, I will always remember my time here and be proud to be an alumnus. One who witnessed the best four-year period in the history of the AU Eagles.
You can reach this staff writer at jhall@theeagleonline.com.
