Schlegel says farewell as YSU women fall in WNIT

March 20, 2015 at 12:07a.m.

YOUNGSTOWN

To borrow a phrase from Ernest Hemingway, the end came gradually, then suddenly.

Youngstown State senior Heidi Schlegel had spent the past five years focusing on the next game (or the next practice, or the next huddle, or the next play) so when the end came with just under three minutes left in Thursday’s game — when there was no more “next” — she wasn’t ready.

“I didn’t think I would be emotional,” she said after a 72-54 loss to Duquesne in the first round of the WNIT.

And she tried not to be. But when Penguins coach John Barnes summoned her and fellow senior Latisha Walker off the floor — sparking a standing ovation at Beeghly Center — Schlegel finally broke.

“I feel like I can walk away with being really happy with how I went out and how my career was because I know I gave it my all every day,” she said, her voice cracking. “I know I tried to do everything I could for my teammates.

“Walking off the court, it was just a lot of emotions. I can’t believe it’s over, but then I’ve been here forever.”

Schlegel signed her national letter-of-intent in November 2009, when YSU was beginning an 0-30 season under a coach who wouldn’t make it through March (Cindy Martin). She played seven games as a freshman before suffering a foot injury, then spent several hours a week sitting in a chair, shooting 400 shots a day, while her teammates went 6-24.

But over the next four years, she helped resurrect the program, leading the Penguins to two 20-win seasons and two WNIT berths.

“I just remember being a freshman and being like, ‘I don’t want any of the freshmen to ever have to go through this,’” she said. “So that’s what I tried to do this year.”

Schlegel finished with team-highs in points (23) and rebounds (six) for YSU (21-11), which shot 1 of 14 from 3-point range in the first half to fall behind 38-21. The Penguins never really challenged Duquesne (22-10), which has won 20 or more games every years since 2009 and set a school record with 12 wins in the Atlantic 10 this season.

Jose-Ann Johnson and Amadea Szamosi each had 12 points for the Dukes, who will play either Stetson or Richmond in the second round.

“That’s the most successful senior class in the history of Duquesne basketball,” YSU coach John Barnes said. “We got beat by a better team, no question.”

YSU is still trying to reach that level, but it’s tough to consider this season anything but a success. The Penguins had seven freshmen on their roster — including two in the starting lineup — and still managed to advance to the Horizon League tournament semifinals for the third straight year. They also signed the best recruiting class in recent memory, with four of the five players earning first team All-Ohio honors this week. (The fifth earned third-team honors.)

“To think about going through next season with 12 freshmen and sophomores is a little unnerving, but they’re very good players,” Barnes said.

And this year’s freshmen will benefit not just from their competition, but also from the seniors’ example. Even though her career was over, Schlegel was still first in the handshake line, first at midcourt for the final team huddle and first to lead the Penguins off the floor.

“I’ve tried to make an impact here,” Schlegel said. “I’m just really proud of the last five years.”