Traveling with Pep!

          One of the most exciting parts of my freshman year of college was getting to take the historical trip with the STJ Women's Basketball team to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 round, as a traveling member of the STJ Pep Band. The whirlwind journey began with a pep rally in the lobby of Carnesecca Arena on Friday, March 16, followed by a plane ride to Norman, Oklahoma, where No. 3 seed St. John's would face No. 14 seed Creighton University on Sunday, March 18, at the University of Oklahoma arena. When Nadirah McKenith scored the winning basket with 0.1 seconds left in what had been a very tight game, STJ fans (basically meaning the band, dance team, and cheerleaders --since we were so far from home) excitedly cheered and earned the right to stay until Tuesday, March 20, when the next game would be played against Oklahoma University. 

          Even with threats of tornadoes in the area over that weekend, the girls pushed on and ended up beating the Oklahoma's team in their own stadium 74-70. This victory meant we were headed to California (a place I've wanted to visit my whole life and never yet had!) to witness St. John's Women's Basketball's first ever appearance in the Sweet 16 round! I'll never forget how the Oklahoma fans sitting behind us immediately wished us well with God's blessings as we went forward. Oklahomans are such nice people!

          Although the women weren't able to beat Duke on Saturday, March 21 (our team fell to them 74-47), and we were all heartbroken to leave the stadium that day knowing President Obama's prediction that our team would make it to the final 4 didn't come true, we were so proud of our team and knew we could look back on this trip as the experience of a lifetime! I looked forward to coming back home and seeing all my STJ friends who had supported us so nicely by attending campus watching parties (where they saw us on tv) and praying for our safe travels!

          Now, onto some pictures of the games and all the sightseeing things the band got to do in our spare time on the trip!!!

Me after we landed in Oklahoma!

Band members and our director, Kevin, on the tarmac!

The view of Oklahoma plains from our hotel room

Our beautiful Embassy Suites hotel in Oklahoma

The band at Qdoba (sponsor of our basketball teams)
on our first night in Oklahoma!

Centennial Land Run Monument in Oklahoma City

Melissa, me, Stephanie, and Adela with Miss Oklahoma (center),
whom we met outside Toby Keith's restaurant after
watching Bricktown's St. Patrick's Day parade

Bandmates getting ready to cheer on our team before their first game!

Oklahoma University's beautiful sports arena

The band's front row floor view of the action in the game against Creighton

The STJ Pep Band with our awesome bus driver Rusty (holding the sousaphone and wearing the white shirt in the center) before the game against Oklahoma University

Band members gave acclaimed Coach Kim Barnes Arico high fives back at the hotel after the victory against Oklahoma University.  

STJ women's basketball player Briana Brown walking through the victory tunnel the band, cheerleaders, and dance team made at the hotel

Me and fellow flute player Stephanie after we touched down in sunny California!

The Radisson Hotel in Fresno, California

California palm trees and Armenian church right outside our hotel

The hotel pool where my 2012 tan began

Before the game against Duke, the band got to visit the Fresno Zoo!

Me feeding a giraffe at the Fresno Zoo!

The Save Mart Center at Fresno State University, where Sweet 16 game was held

The inside of the Save Mart Center before the game began  - it felt almost like a mini version of Madison Square Garden.

Stephanie, me, and Jessica showing our STJ spirit before STJ vs. Duke game!