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By Naveen Boppana
When Monika Rothemich graduates this spring,
she will do so as the only Holy Cross basketball
player-male or female-to play in four NCAA tournaments. She earned this distinction
by leading the Crusaders to their eighth Patriot League regular season title
and fourth consecutive Patriot League Tournament Championship
in March.
"I don't think about it that much," says Rothemich. "But I'm sure I will appreciate
it down the line. I couldn't have done it without the 12 other
players each year."
After playing behind two-time All-American Amy O'Brien '99 for two seasons, Rothemich
got the starting role during her third year at Holy Cross. She started all 30
games and led the team in rebounds (6.2) and blocks (27). Her final season in
purple was a little different than the first three years. One of four first-year
women's basketball players four years ago, she gradually became the lone senior
and the last non-scholarship player
on the team.
"It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, being the only senior," she
says. "I have to give credit to the coaches and my teammates for making
it easy."
Rothemich led the Crusaders to their 21st straight winning season with a 21-9
overall record and earned First Team All-Patriot League Honors. After the Crusaders
started the season losing four-of-the-first-five games, the other teams in the
Patriot League thought that this was the year they could defeat Holy Cross. But
the women battled back to close out the 2000
calendar year with a 6-7 record.
Hot shooting by Rothemich and center Katie O'Keefe '03 sparked the team in 2001.
The young squad rattled off 13 straight wins, including a 62-58 upset win over
Michigan on Feb. 8. In a game that saw nine ties and 17 lead changes, the Wolverines
fought back from a six-point deficit in the second half to tie the game at 56
with 3:18 remaining in the ball game.
Rothemich then scored four of the Crusader's final six points, including a three-pointer
(the second of her career) with 33 seconds remaining to
secure the win.
At one point during that 13-game winning streak, Rothemich made 22 consecutive
field goals (six shy of the NCAA record) over a three-game span, including a
Patriot League record 10-for-10 against Lafayette on Jan. 24. That hot streak
even drew some national attention, as she was featured in the "Faces
in the Crowd" section of Sports Illustrated on March 5. Overall,
Rothemich led the Crusaders with 13.5 points per game, 7.2 rebounds,
13 blocked shots
and .664 shooting percentage during that stretch.
Rothemich buried another 3-pointer with 1.7 overtime seconds to go, lifting the
Crusaders to a 78-77 win over Navy. The Midshipmen had led by five points with
1:29 to go in overtime. But Rothemich scored seven of the Crusaders 10 points
in the extra session, including the game winning three pointer, to help secure
the victory. With that win the Crusaders clinched their fifth straight Patriot
League Regular Season title and eighth overall.
"It (the three pointer) reminded me of my freshman
year when Summer (Ivan '99) made a basket against Navy to
tie the game and send it to overtime," Rothemich says. "We
also won that game in overtime and captured the regular season
title."
After posting an 11-1 record in league play, Holy Cross
received the number one-seed and a bye in the first round of the Patriot League
tournament. The
Crusaders faced Army, who handed the team its only loss in the league, in the
semifinals. After leading 29-20 at the half, the Crusaders started the second
half with a 7-0 run to take a 16-point lead with 17:29 to go in the game. Army
answered by outscoring Holy Cross 26-14 and cut the lead to four with 5:04
to play. But the Crusaders held the Black Knights scoreless for more than four
minutes and outscored Army 20-4 to secure the victory. Rothemich scored in
double figures for the fifth straight game to help Holy Cross cruise to a 20-point
victory and return to the Hart Center for the championship game against Lehigh.
The Crusaders started the game with a 15-2 run and never looked back as they
captured the tournament title with a 94-68 win over the Mountain Hawks in front
of 2,148 fans. Holy Cross took a 48-28 lead at the half behind Rothemich's
17 first half points. The team shot 56 percent from the floor, forced 14 turnovers
and out-rebounded the Mountain Hawks, 17-11, while holding their opponents
to 42 percent shooting. Lehigh could get no closer than 17 points with 15:07
left to play in the second half. The Crusaders advanced to the NCAAs for the
fourth consecutive year. The 6-foot-1 forward scored a game-high 21 points
on 7-for-10 shooting. She made all six of her free throws and collected five
rebounds, four blocks and the tournament's Most Valuable Player award.
"Lots of people didn't expect us to win the Patriot League tournament," she says. "Holding
the championship trophy at center court with Coach Gibbons was incredible. You
can't compare that with anything."
The Crusaders saw the 2000-01 season come to a close in the first round of
the NCAA tournament, falling to the University of Florida, 84-52. Rothemich's
career ended with 86 wins, including an unprecedented 51-5 record against Patriot
League opponents. Rothemich isn't upset that her career has ended but, rather,
is proud of all the accomplishments. "The Holy Cross basketball experience
is everything I expected it to be and more," Rothemich says. "It was unbelievable
to be on four special teams and win that many games."
Rothemich has flourished in Worcester and does not regret her decision to bypass
other schools, including Boston University, which offered her a scholarship.
Rothemich knew when she came to visit Holy Cross five years ago that she found
her school of choice. "Coach Gibbons told me to try on all the shirts, and,
at the end, I will choose the Purple," she remembers.
"My experiences with my schoolmates, teammates and coaches have been nothing
but great," she says. "If I had to do it again, I would come to Holy Cross in
a heart beat."
When Rothemich reflects on how she got this far, she is quick to thank those
that have motivated and supported her throughout her career. "My parents are
my biggest supporters. My dad has always pushed me since I was a kid, and my
mom is my biggest cheerleader."
Heading into post-college life, she believes Holy Cross
has prepared her for whatever barriers she will face in the near future. A premed
student majoring
in psychology, Rothemich plans to attend medical school upon graduation, in
fulfillment of another one of her lifelong dreams.
Naveen Boppana is the assistant director of athletic
media relations at Holy Cross.
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