With Saint Xavier falling to Dakota Wesleyan in the “Fab Four” of the NAIA Division II women’s basketball championship, it sort of felt like the end of an era for this team.
The loss meant that it was the final game for seniors Kara Krolicki, Brittany Collins, and Tomei Ball. The first two being instrumental to the success of this Saint Xavier basketball team as their names were penciled in to the starting line-up of every game and Tomei Ball becoming a vital player coming off the bench.
Kara Krolicki, arguably the best player to put on a Saint Xavier jersey, did not finish her collegiate career the way she would have liked, but that in no way lessens what she accomplished in her Cougar career. Her list of accolades is extensive and would take way too long to list so we’ll highlight her 2017-2018 season.
For the second year in a row, Krolicki was named the NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball Player of the Year as well as earning a third consecutive spot in the NAIA’s First Team All-Americans list .
She was also CCAC’s Player of the Week on five separate occasions. She finishes as Saint Xavier’s all-time leader in scoring with with 2,750 points, becoming the first player in program history to surpass 2,700 points.
This season alone, Krolicki averaged twenty points per game amassing a total of 700 points this season. In the eyes of many, the graduate from Lincoln-Way East HS is the best ever to put on a Saint Xavier uniform.
Accompanying her on the First Team All-American list is Brittany Collins. She became only the fifth Cougar to receive that honor. The center from Maine West HS finished her career as the all-time leader in blocked shots with 338 and second in rebounds with 1,150. She will also go down as one of the best players in program history.
Tomei Ball, one of the unsung heroes of this team, cemented herself as one of Coach Hallberg’s first options off the bench quickly becoming this team’s sixth woman.
Alongside Krolicki and Collins, she received Scholar-Athlete status from the NAIA for the third time in her career. While she may not have received as much attention as her fellow seniors, her presence and leadership off the bench is something that should not be taken lightly and something that Saint Xavier will have to search hard for to replace.
Having said all that, it seems difficult for any program to continue a run as successful as Saint Xavier have had these past few seasons. The question is, where does the team and coach Hallberg go from here?
Sophomores Maddie Welter and Chanel Fanter will now have to carry the torch from Krolicki and Collins and they seem well equipped to carry that torch and maintain that level of success.
Welter and Fanter were integral parts of the team that reached the finals the previous season and further cemented their role on the team this season. Not only were they able to provide support for the seniors, but they also flourished and became the go-to players on this team as well.
There were definitely games this season where they stepped up and took control of the game. Whether Krolicki or Collins were having off games or were defended well by the opposition, Welter and Fanter were always there to step up and sink a crucial three or jumper.
All one has to do is look at the CCAC championship game where Fanter went a stretch of the first quarter where she couldn’t miss a shot.
These two will now be looked to step and become the leaders on this team. They will be relied upon to help those players who will now be thrust into the starting line-up. Some of those names include Meg Knutson and Gabby Kreykes who had pretty good debut seasons.
Emily Gorsch will be another player to look out for as she will be a senior next season and looks to fill the role left by Collins.
Coach Hallberg has always done well in his recruiting and he will have to continue to do the same. It will not be easy to replace the departing seniors. Especially the likes of Collins and Krolicki.
It is rarely the case where a coach can boast about having two of the best ever players in the program’s history playing at the same time, but if anyone can do it, it’s Bob Hallberg.
The Saint Xavier women’s basketball team have taken the school and its students on an amazing ride these past two seasons.
Despite losing the likes of Krolicki, Collins, and Ball, there are players who will now have the chance to step up and pave their own way on this team.
We will see players like Sidney Lovitsch and Cora Graffeo get more playing time and fight for a spot in the starting line-up.
It should be a fun and promising next season for the Saint Xavier Cougars where Bob Hallberg and his team will be looking for that elusive championship title.
Ernesto Hernandez
Sports Editor