May 1, 2008

COLUMBIA – The South Carolina Athletics Department celebrated its senior student-athletes at Monday night’s Senior Dessert in the McGuire Club at the Colonial Center. After enjoying ice cream sundaes, seniors from all varsity sports were given their letterman’s rings.

Athletic Director Eric Hyman stressed to the student-athletes that they are always welcome at the University of South Carolina, even after graduation. He also reminded them that the “easy part” is over.

“No more waking up at 10 a.m., going to class at one, sleeping till five, and staying out until two in the morning,” he said with a smile.

Larry Gosnell, president of the USC Letterman’s Association, spoke to the group about the importance of finishing college. He told them that earning a college degree is the most important thing they will ever do. Gosnell also offered the senior student-athletes a one-year free membership in the Letterman’s Association and stressed the benefits and incentives of joining, like reuniting with fellow Gamecocks.

“We come together to support the ideals that we learned in the classroom and on the playing field,” he said.

Jack Wilson, director of athletic stewardship, encouraged the student-athletes to join the Gamecock Club. He said that it is a student-athlete’s responsibility to give back part of what he or she has been given by the university and the club. Donating money to the Gamecock Club will help pay for future student-athletes’ tuition, Wilson said.

“Someone gave so that you could come to school here,” he remarked. “Now is your chance to do the same for someone else.”

At the end of the ceremony, coaches from each sport presented their senior student-athletes with the letterman’s ring. Collin Crick, director of student-athlete development, introduced each student-athlete and shared a personal memory of each one as he or she received the ring.

Whitney Simons, a member of the women’s golf team who is graduating summa cum laude, expressed her disbelief that the ceremony signified how close she is to the end of her college career.

“I remember seeing one of the other student-athletes here in my orientation group before freshman year,” she said. “I seriously feel like it was just yesterday.”

The best part of being a Gamecock student-athlete for the past four years, said Simons, is that “I got to travel to a lot of great places, and I have a lot of extra Gamecock gear!” Simons continued, “But I think it’s the people that I met that I’m really going to remember the most. It’s hard to say good-bye.”

“It felt like graduation,” the lone senior on the Gamecock men’s basketball team, Dwayne Day, said. “It was a lot of fun to eat ice cream and visit with the different athletes,” he said. “My time here has been a joyride. It has been a learning experience. Carolina has helped me change from a boy to a man.”