Senior night for a college athlete: a time to say goodbye, to say thank you to your coaches, teammates and fans for contributing to four of the most memorable years of your life, and most importantly a time to have fun and cream the competition.
Last night, Virginia women's basketball seniors Anna Prillaman, Anna Crosswhite and Safiya Grant-Fairley did all of the above in the final home game of their careers, and I'd like to take this opportunity to pay my respects to each of them.
First, and in no particular order, Anna Crosswhite. Can anyone draw an offensive foul quite as nicely as Crosswhite? No, I think not. In a span of maybe five minutes of the Wake Forest game, she caused three offensive fouls to be called on the Deacons, and not just against the big girls in the paint. Crosswhite, who stands at 6'1", often draws offensive fouls on much smaller players. And it's all about technique. Does she just jerk her body backward, like some of the less established actors in the basketball field do? No. Anna collapses to the ground with all of her weight and her body bounces off the hardwood -- the sight of it is truly humbling. Thank you Anna Crosswhite, for coming up big on defense whenever you take the court.
Next is Safiya Grant-Fairley. Although most of the other players on the court tower over her (except for Wake's 5'3" Porsche Jones, of course), Grant-Fairley has the speed and ball handling skills to overcome even the greatest height deficit.
"As a player, she's a water bug out there for us," Virginia coach Debbie Ryan said. "She gets the tempo moving for us and she gets us moving faster. She takes it coast to coast when people don't pay attention to her."
So thank you, Safiya Grant-Fairley, for being a "water bug" and for not being afraid to push the tempo when your team needs a boost.
Finally, there's Anna Prillaman. If you're a fan of Virginia women's hoops, then you know Prillaman. Her three point bombs ignite the Cavalier offense and the crowd alike. She's a workhorse, playing nearly every minute of every game this season, and she brings everything she has onto the court every time she steps foot onto it. She is a leader. Thank you, Anna Prillaman, for the passion and dedication you've provided this Cavalier team with for the past four years.
As the senior class of the Virginia women's basketball team was taken out with 23.5 seconds remaining, no tears were shed. Whether the Cavaliers make the NCAA tournament or not, the standing ovation the seniors received says it all: They proved themselves last night and for four years and no matter how the season ends, last night's big victory means they're going out on top.
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