On the morning of March 12, Madison Cathcart began her usual gameday routine. The Redhawks were set to host Utah in their 2020 home opener later that day. A tweet from the Western Athletic Conference stating that spring sports had been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic was then shared to the softball team's group message. Cathcart and her fellow seniors Alyson Matriotti, Stephanie Merwin and Cherise Silvan, quickly gathered at a restaurant just off campus and began to grapple with the new reality-the 2020 season was over, just like that. A bigger question loomed over each Redhawk-"Is my career over?"
Coming off the best season in program history in 2019, the Redhawks faced a daunting schedule to start the 2020 campaign. Despite some struggles early, they knocked off No. 18 Missouri, claiming their second win over a nationally-ranked opponent in the last two years. They also hung with national powers Arizona, Oklahoma, and Oregon in tight defeats. With the first home games of the season slated for March 12-15, and WAC play set to follow, SU had plenty to prove in the second half of the season.
"This season was unfulfilled," said Cathcart. "We didn't do what we wanted to do. We didn't play how we want and we didn't connect like we should have. It was just heartbreaking."
With the pandemic spreading and the NBA shutting down on March 11, many other leagues followed suit over the next 24 hours.
"We had a meeting at practice the day before the Utah game," said Matriotti. "The Ivy League had already canceled (its spring season). But we were not going to focus on that. We were going to get prepared for the game that we had against Utah."
Coach Geoff Hirai, in his fifth season at SU, heard the news of the cancelation and quickly began to call his seniors. The class had already gathered, making it easier for Hirai to share his message.
"He just told us that he's going to fight for us and try to get us to come back for another year," said Silvan.
"It felt so good to be with our squad," said Matriotti of the seniors gathering. "We felt united and I feel like regardless, we're going to take on whatever news together."
The afternoon of March 12, Hirai held an emotional team meeting to bring everyone together to discuss the end of the season.
"I remember in my head that this wasn't fair to them and I have to fight for them," said Hirai. "I called a team meeting and that was probably the toughest meeting that I have been through in my coaching career. There were a lot of emotions, but we knew we were going to get through this."
"I don't know why but whenever Hirai shows emotion, it really hits me hard," said Silvan. "It made me realize how much he cares for us and loves us and was upset for us."
Parents and other family members were in town for the scheduled game, which ended up helping the team cope once the season was canceled.
"What really helped was when our families were all there," said Matriotti. "That was really cool for the seniors' families and we got to spend the time not knowing if it would be our last time together."
The abruptness of the season being canceled was compounded by the uncertainty of what would happen next.
"I didn't know how to feel after our season ended," said Silvan. "That didn't really hit me for a while, the fact that there was a possibility that my career would just end with the season that we had. And then it was a matter of waiting for the NCAA to say we can come back."
On March 30, the NCAA announced that spring sport student-athletes would be granted another year of eligibility, but it was up to individual schools to determine scholarships and roster construction.
Hirai worked to sort out the details, knowing that he wanted all four of his seniors back for the 2021 season.
"When I found out that our administration was going to support our seniors on coming back, I couldn't wait to call the seniors and tell them," said Hirai. "Hearing the joy in their voices is why we coach."
"I felt like I was really blessed to even have the chance to have another go-around with a team that I love being around," said Merwin. "That was the most exciting thing for me. And furthering my education is always something that I was thinking about. "This seemed like a perfect opportunity to get the ball rolling on that."
Cathcart will have the opportunity to rewrite the program's record books in 2021. The first baseman is already the school's all-time leader in home runs (38), doubles (50), walks (109), extra-base hits (89), and putouts (1,432). Cathcart will likely break career marks for RBIs, runs scored, at-bats, and games started next season. She stands seventh in WAC history in doubles and walks and will have the chance to climb those charts with a strong finish next season.
Matriotti has been a fixture at third base since her freshman year, confidently handling the high-stress position. One of the most vocal leaders on the team, she singled and then scored the winning run in SU's 1-0 win over Fordham in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, marking the Redhawks' first DI NCAA Tournament victory.
Merwin transferred in from Oregon State in 2018 and played a key role off the bench as a junior in 2019. She moved into the starting spot at second base in 2020. In May, Merwin won Seattle U's Provost's Award, given to the graduating senior with the highest cumulative grade point average among transfer students. She finished with a 4.0 in her two years at SU, majoring in mechanical engineering.
Silvan, a career .312 hitter who does a little bit of everything for the Redhawks, totaling 19 doubles, 26 stolen bases, 12 outfield assists, and six triples in her career. She went 5-9 with three runs, an RBI, and a triple in three games at the 2019 WAC Tournament, earning all-tournament team recognition.
Cathcart and Silvan will attend law school at Seattle U beginning in the fall of 2020, while Merwin will work towards her Master's degree in mechanical engineering. Matriotti will work towards a psych minor to go with her undergrad degree next year.
The time away from the game and their teammates has allowed the seniors to be grateful for their experiences at Seattle U.
"I could cry," said Silvan. "I love them so much. I can call them whenever and they'll drop anything. They're not just good teammates, they're really good friends that I'm going to have in my life forever. And I'm just really thankful that God's blessed me with an amazing class."
"This game is so much fun," said Merwin. "It is hard and we look back sometimes at hard times, but it really is a fun game. We've done this our whole lives and I've grown to appreciate it so much more in the time that I don't have it."
Coming off the best season in program history in 2019, the Redhawks faced a daunting schedule to start the 2020 campaign. Despite some struggles early, they knocked off No. 18 Missouri, claiming their second win over a nationally-ranked opponent in the last two years. They also hung with national powers Arizona, Oklahoma, and Oregon in tight defeats. With the first home games of the season slated for March 12-15, and WAC play set to follow, SU had plenty to prove in the second half of the season.
"This season was unfulfilled," said Cathcart. "We didn't do what we wanted to do. We didn't play how we want and we didn't connect like we should have. It was just heartbreaking."
With the pandemic spreading and the NBA shutting down on March 11, many other leagues followed suit over the next 24 hours.
"We had a meeting at practice the day before the Utah game," said Matriotti. "The Ivy League had already canceled (its spring season). But we were not going to focus on that. We were going to get prepared for the game that we had against Utah."
Coach Geoff Hirai, in his fifth season at SU, heard the news of the cancelation and quickly began to call his seniors. The class had already gathered, making it easier for Hirai to share his message.
"He just told us that he's going to fight for us and try to get us to come back for another year," said Silvan.
"It felt so good to be with our squad," said Matriotti of the seniors gathering. "We felt united and I feel like regardless, we're going to take on whatever news together."
The afternoon of March 12, Hirai held an emotional team meeting to bring everyone together to discuss the end of the season.
"I remember in my head that this wasn't fair to them and I have to fight for them," said Hirai. "I called a team meeting and that was probably the toughest meeting that I have been through in my coaching career. There were a lot of emotions, but we knew we were going to get through this."
"I don't know why but whenever Hirai shows emotion, it really hits me hard," said Silvan. "It made me realize how much he cares for us and loves us and was upset for us."
Parents and other family members were in town for the scheduled game, which ended up helping the team cope once the season was canceled.
"What really helped was when our families were all there," said Matriotti. "That was really cool for the seniors' families and we got to spend the time not knowing if it would be our last time together."
The abruptness of the season being canceled was compounded by the uncertainty of what would happen next.
"I didn't know how to feel after our season ended," said Silvan. "That didn't really hit me for a while, the fact that there was a possibility that my career would just end with the season that we had. And then it was a matter of waiting for the NCAA to say we can come back."
On March 30, the NCAA announced that spring sport student-athletes would be granted another year of eligibility, but it was up to individual schools to determine scholarships and roster construction.
Hirai worked to sort out the details, knowing that he wanted all four of his seniors back for the 2021 season.
"When I found out that our administration was going to support our seniors on coming back, I couldn't wait to call the seniors and tell them," said Hirai. "Hearing the joy in their voices is why we coach."
"I felt like I was really blessed to even have the chance to have another go-around with a team that I love being around," said Merwin. "That was the most exciting thing for me. And furthering my education is always something that I was thinking about. "This seemed like a perfect opportunity to get the ball rolling on that."
Cathcart will have the opportunity to rewrite the program's record books in 2021. The first baseman is already the school's all-time leader in home runs (38), doubles (50), walks (109), extra-base hits (89), and putouts (1,432). Cathcart will likely break career marks for RBIs, runs scored, at-bats, and games started next season. She stands seventh in WAC history in doubles and walks and will have the chance to climb those charts with a strong finish next season.
Matriotti has been a fixture at third base since her freshman year, confidently handling the high-stress position. One of the most vocal leaders on the team, she singled and then scored the winning run in SU's 1-0 win over Fordham in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, marking the Redhawks' first DI NCAA Tournament victory.
Merwin transferred in from Oregon State in 2018 and played a key role off the bench as a junior in 2019. She moved into the starting spot at second base in 2020. In May, Merwin won Seattle U's Provost's Award, given to the graduating senior with the highest cumulative grade point average among transfer students. She finished with a 4.0 in her two years at SU, majoring in mechanical engineering.
Silvan, a career .312 hitter who does a little bit of everything for the Redhawks, totaling 19 doubles, 26 stolen bases, 12 outfield assists, and six triples in her career. She went 5-9 with three runs, an RBI, and a triple in three games at the 2019 WAC Tournament, earning all-tournament team recognition.
Cathcart and Silvan will attend law school at Seattle U beginning in the fall of 2020, while Merwin will work towards her Master's degree in mechanical engineering. Matriotti will work towards a psych minor to go with her undergrad degree next year.
The time away from the game and their teammates has allowed the seniors to be grateful for their experiences at Seattle U.
"I could cry," said Silvan. "I love them so much. I can call them whenever and they'll drop anything. They're not just good teammates, they're really good friends that I'm going to have in my life forever. And I'm just really thankful that God's blessed me with an amazing class."
"This game is so much fun," said Merwin. "It is hard and we look back sometimes at hard times, but it really is a fun game. We've done this our whole lives and I've grown to appreciate it so much more in the time that I don't have it."