Hi Lions Fans,
 
Madison Davis here with the last Rise and Roar before the conference tournament. Wow! What a year it has been. From being undefeated in regular season conference play to having the best record in program history, this has surely been a memorable season. I would also like to thank everyone who came to our Senior Day celebration this weekend! Not only were we able to secure a convincing 15-5 win, but we also had a very special ceremony before the game. 
 

 
Last week and this week have been all about celebration and preparation. Besides the senior day festivities, we had our final secret sister gift exchange. On Sunday we all got together for a team dinner and did a grand reveal to our sister with cute baskets of gifts. Everyone had a blast and was excited to see each other on our off day. I think it showed how tight this team is. 
 
As far as preparation goes, this point of the season really comes down to mental toughness and sound tactics. As you all know from my posts, we have been putting in the work on that front the whole season, so it hasn't been too difficult to dial in with film sessions, journaling, and long discussions during practice. 
 
Because the last two weeks have been such a whirlwind, I have been trying to take time to reflect on and appreciate what's left of my time here at LMU. While doing so, I have also been thinking of what my takeaways have been from my experience. Ultimately, I have boiled it down to five things that I have learned in my five years while at LMU. 
 
Freshman year: Give yourself grace and room to grow. 
 
When I think about my freshman year and the experience of a freshman as a whole, what stands out is how big and important everything felt. You want to make your mark right away and let everyone know that you are valuable. But what you don't fully realize is that you are really only a freshman. Four years is such a long time for a person to adjust and change. I remember being hard on myself about not playing as much as I thought I should have or even being a little too judgemental of other people who were different from me at the time. What I have now come to see is that I didn't need to be so critical or put myself under so much pressure in those moments. Practically no one is the same person that they were freshman year and that is ok. It is so important for you to just enjoy that time and see the good in everything that is happening to you. 
 

 
Sophomore year: If you surround yourself with good people, you can get through anything together. 
 
During my sophomore year at LMU, there was a global pandemic going on. This meant that there were pretty much only athletes living on campus and that most international students did not come back. This created the unique situation of having nine people on our team. This could have gone terribly, as there were not enough people to scrimmage in practice and we were the only social interaction that each other was having. When your whole team fits in one elevator (picture included) one could expect you to get tired of each other, and everything could fall apart. Luckily, this did not happen. What happened instead was that we became like a second family. I truly believe that that would not have happened if it was not for the special people who were forced together that year. Through all the ups and downs of that eight game season, we stayed together through it all; celebrating each other's victories and being there for each other when times got hard. To this day, I know that I can call upon anyone who played that season for anything and they would be there. 
 

 
Junior year: Find little things that bring you joy every day.
 
Junior year was full of change. Our team expanded from nine to 23, we lost one assistant coach (little did we know he would be back a year later as our head coach), and gained another. Thinking back to this year, I am reminded of a conversation I had with teammate Yanah Gerber. She was talking about how she read in her psychology studies that happiness is an abstract concept. The same things don't make everyone happy and it is impossible to be happy all the time. This is why it is so important to find little things each day that bring you joy to keep you grounded and happy. In times when so much is changing, this is especially important to remember. 
 

 
Senior year: Trust is everything. 
 
Senior year was an emotional one. With a lot of teammates on their way out, we definitely had the desire to win a conference title. But the instability of the years prior took its toll, and when it came down to it, the trust was not there. Looking back through the lens of this year, I think that this is the major difference from then to now. This team has the utmost trust in each other, which leads to us supporting the individual decisions made in and out of the pool. Everything just feels easier when you feel that. 
 

 
Super Senior - It will all work out in the end. If you are deliberate with your intentions and stay the course, you will be able to achieve your goals. 
 
While this year has been amazing, it has not been without struggle. Being the last of the people that I came in with can feel a bit isolating at times. I have certainly reflected on my decision to stay another year a few times when school or practice has been tough. But perseverance and dedication have carried me through. Having the goal of winning conference in the team's mind has given us a tangible path with checkpoints along the way that has led to our success this year. I am so thankful that this year is the one that is going to end my time at LMU. Win or lose, I believe that we have successfully redefined the culture of the team and set the program up for success for years to come. 
 

 
I am so excited for this coming weekend and I hope you are too! You can catch our first game of the conference tournament at 4:00 pm at Santa Clara Univeristy, or watch it at www.overnght.com. Thank you for tuning in and Go Lions!