Last week, several Oberlin teams celebrated Senior Day, where graduating seniors are honored by their coaches and teams.
On Jan. 20, the Oberlin swim and dive team celebrated their seniors. Due to poor weather conditions, the meet against Allegheny College was moved to a virtual meet where the two teams competed in their own pools and later compiled and compared times. All of the seniors had blown-up head cutouts of themselves hung up by the home team benches.
One tradition to celebrate the seniors on their special day is the team tunnel. While walking out with their parents, the underclassmen form a tunnel and the seniors walk through it as the rest of them cheer.
The team honored fourth-years Lily Azaran, Sam Blau, Emily Ferrari, Hannah Hale, Anika Kennedy, and Audrey Weber, as well as second-year Daniel Bocsi.
The seniors will compete in their last meet representing Oberlin from Wednesday to Saturday for the North Coast Atlantic Conference Championships at Denison University.
The men and women’s basketball teams both saw successes on Senior Day.
The Yeowomen beat DePauw University for the first time in program history, 55–50, which gives the team a major boost as they head into their final conference game this Saturday at 2 p.m. at Denison University. Before the game, fourth-years Alyson Jefferson and Gina Lombard were honored on the court.
On Senior Day, the underclassmen decorate the locker rooms, make posters for seniors, and give the seniors flowers. The coaches make a banner with their baby pictures and give them a framed jersey. Stephanie Dunmyer, the head women’s basketball coach, is thankful for the two seniors on the team. First, Dunmyer admired how Lombard brought an immediate “swagger” when she first joined the program.
“She changed what the members of our program believed we could accomplish, and she is one of the best shooters to ever wear an Oberlin uniform,” Dunmyer wrote in an email to the Review.
Dunmyer also acclaimed Jefferson’s leadership and determination.
“Alyson is such an explosive player who works and plays so hard all the time,” Dunmyer wrote. “She sets the tone for our program every day and is the ultimate team leader and captain.”
Jefferson’s family and friends wore T-shirts of her posing in different positions while playing basketball. There were also stickers and pins with media day photos of the two seniors together. This tradition started when Jefferson’s aunts ordered pins last year. The team loved them, so they bought them again this year.
Jefferson said Senior Day made her feel loved and accomplished.
“Regardless of my stats my team made me feel as if I had a real impact on them which is appreciated,” Jefferson wrote in an email to the Review. “I just felt very grateful that I had this opportunity to play in college as well as with my amazing team.”
Finally, Dunmyer expressed her gratitude to the two seniors.
“Alyson Jefferson and Gina Lombard have had and continue to have such a positive impact on our program!” Dunmyer wrote. “They are difference-makers in every way. The four-year growth that Alyson and Gina have shown as players and leaders in our program is incredible and I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to coach them.”
Right after the women’s game, the men’s team also took on DePauw, beating the Tigers, 84–76. Fourth-years Henry Lieber, Lachie Macfarlane, Dimitrije Radusinovic, and Anastasis Spyroglou were honored at the game.
Similar to the women’s team, the coaches give the seniors framed jerseys as a show of appreciation to the graduating class before the game and take photos alongside their families. They also start all of the seniors, which, to Macfarlane and Lieber, signified something larger than the sport of basketball and gave them a chance to play with one another.
“I felt really happy, having my whole family out here and sharing the court with the guys that have turned into my brothers over these past few years is a special feeling for sure,” Lieber said. “We also had a great turnout from the fans, and the energy in the gym really helped us get an important win, so it felt really good.”
While Lieber’s family walked him out, Macfarlane, a New Zealand native, had his housemates walk him out instead.
“When Senior Day came around, I thought I would be nervous and upset that my career was coming to an end, but in reality I was just overwhelmingly grateful,” Macfarlane said. “I’ve been able to form lifelong friendships and experience a ton of special moments with people here that I’ll never forget. From the head coach to the managers, every person that has been a part of this program since I’ve been here has felt like family.”
According to Macfarlane, one big moment for the fourth-years during their Oberlin careers was beating The College of Wooster last year, 71–68. It was the first time the program had beaten them in 35 years.
“It was a huge moment for us and wouldn’t have happened without such a tight-knit, hardworking group of guys,” Macfarlane said.
The Yeomen have their last conference game versus Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, OH this Saturday at 3 p.m.
