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Kate Benz flashes a smile during the Pacific-10 Conference Women's Basketball Media Day, Oct. 26, at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

Past Entries   • November 1, 2004   • November 17, 2004   • December 7, 2004   • December 27, 2004   • January 20, 2005   • February 1, 2005   • February 22, 2005   • March 10, 2005   • July 19, 2005   • August 29, 2005   • October 4, 2005   • October 21, 2005   • November 14, 2005   • November 21, 2005   • December 6, 2005   • January 6, 2006   • January 23, 2006   • February 22, 2006   • June 30, 2006   • July 27, 2006   • September 5, 2006   • October 24, 2006   • December 14, 2006   • January 22, 2007   • February 16, 2007

As a sophomore, Kate Benz chronicled her experiences with the Cougar basketball team during the 2004-05 season. In 2005-06, the junior forward from Portland, Ore. continues her accounts of life as a Cougar. Please visit wsucougars.com for future thoughts from Kate throughout the year.

February 22, 2006

It is hard to imagine college ending, but as I stood watching our three seniors honored at Saturday's game, I felt the sensation of a quiet clock ticking.

Only one short year from now, Adriane Ferguson and I will be the two receiving flowers and claps as we close the book on our basketball careers for WSU. Only a few days prior, I was reluctantly telling a couple of our freshmen, "Pretty soon I'm going to have to start deciding what I'm going to do after college and that's scary."

Keisha Moore, Charmaine Jones, and Crystal Blue are at that stage right now, so what does life have in store for each of them as they prepare to don the black caps and gowns come May?

Keisha would like to continue playing basketball overseas. Where, she does not know, but she would love the opportunity, and if things don't work out as planned, Keish said she wants to sell pharmaceuticals. Over the last two years, Keisha has shown and taught me many things I will keep with me forever. She is the most athletic and amazing post I have played with, and sometimes I sit at home and wish I could do the things she can do out on the court. Keisha has also taught me that first impressions are not always accurate, and friendships, much like other relationships, often take time to develop. I will miss our post player inside jokes, and I wish I could have just one more year with Keish because I think we make a great duo.

Speaking of impressive duos, I am going to have a hard time stepping on the court next year without guards Crystal and Charmaine. Both have been such warriors, battling painful injuries and being put in positions neither were necessarily comfortable with. Both Crystal and Charmaine played point guard at different times this year, and although Charmaine is attempting to practice this week, it's uncertain whether we will all be on the court together at the same time again.

While Crystal is not exactly sure what she will be doing with her general studies degree, thoughts of becoming a coach in Seattle have crossed her mind, and Charmaine would like to put her criminal justice major to use somewhere, possibly as a probation officer in Atlanta. I'm going to miss Crystal's hard work and determination, and I'm sad I have only had one year to play with Blue.

Of the seniors, I have had the privilege of playing with Charmaine the longest, and each year I have been more and more impressed by her ability to destroy opponents with her slashing and driving skills. We are all going to miss Charmaine's contagious laugh and the random assortment of nicknames she has collected over the years.

As I approach the end of my junior year, I finally understand what it means when people say college flies by. They aren't joking. I really do feel like it was just yesterday when I signed my letter of intent and moved to Pullman. It's over these years I have also come to understand the true meaning of being a part of a team. When the clock stops ticking and I'm standing at center court next year on Senior Night, I am going to know I built great relationship in this one-of-a-kind community. I'm also going to know I was surrounded by great women who - however great or small - each taught me something valuable and unforgettable.

Thank you, seniors.