A week and a day ago, the Boston University women’s basketball team had its conference season, along with its NCAA Tournament dreams, ended in disappointing fashion. The scene after the game was emotional. None of the players managed to make it to the postgame press conference. BU coach Kelly Greenberg lasted just a few minutes before ducking out of her meeting with the media, tears in her eyes.
A week later, Greenberg, alongside seniors Kristi Dini and Christine Kinneary, sat again in front of the media, this time after a 68-53 loss in the second round of the Women’s NIT to Boston College that ended the team’s season. This time, there were no tears. There was disappointment, sure. That comes with the end of every season. But there was also pride.
And after the Terriers’ 2008-09 campaign, the squad has a lot to be proud of, especially the senior class.
BU’s graduating foursome ‘-‘- comprised of Jesyka Burks-Wiley, Christine Kinneary, Amarachi Umez-Eronini and Kristi Dini ‘-‘- ended its BU career as the winningest class in Terrier history with 78 wins.
In 2008-09, Burks-Wiley, Kinneary and Umez-Eronini earned America East All-Conference First Team honors, while Dini brought home Third Team recognition. Additionally, Burks-Wiley, who averaged 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, earned the 2008-09 America East Player of the Year award, while Umez-Eronini garnered America East Defensive Player of the Year.
In 2008-09, the senior class was the keystone in the best season in BU women’s basketball history. This year’s squad went a perfect 16-0 in regular-season conference play. The team began a 19-game winning streak that ran all the way to the America East title game, where BU’s astounding run was halted.
The national postseason appearance was just the second in BU history, and the Terriers’ first-round WNIT win over Central Connecticut State University on Thursday was the first ever for the Terriers.
‘It was great to be a part of,’ Kinneary said of the 2008-09 squad. ‘We had a very successful year. We reached a lot of our goals that we had at the beginning of the year. I thought that this team’s focus, and just everyone sticking together – just the whole year, not only on the court but off the court – it was just a great year to be a part of. To go out as a senior, it was disappointing to lose today, but for the year as a whole, it was just amazing to be a part of everything.’
‘Obviously, it’s disappointing to lose,’ Dini said. ‘We played hard. We always play hard, and this doesn’t take away from the season we had. It was just an amazing year and an amazing experience as a team.’
Last night, the Terriers’ magical campaign came to a close. As is always the case, the end of one season means the beginning of preparation for another. But for Greenberg, who has numerous times expressed that she and the seniors have an especially tight bond, this season’s end might be just a bit tougher to swallow than most.
‘I’m proud of every single player,’ Greenberg said. ‘As I tell them every day, I’m the luckiest coach in the world to get to work with them every single day. They’re funny, they’re smart, they’re witty, they’re creative, they are a lot of things, and they work hard.
‘For me, I know in a couple weeks, when I look back at the whole season, there will be a lot of tears like there was last week [after losing the America East championship game]. Again, to not have Christine, Dini, Amarachi and Jes there, I can’t imagine it. They truly left their mark on BU basketball, and when our team returns in the fall, I really hope everyone still feels them because they really did a lot for every underclassman in that locker room.’
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