The Thomas More women's basketball team has waited its entire history to play in the NCAA Tournament, and Sunday night the Saints were left waiting until the last eight teams out of 64 were announced before they found out they made it.
When Thomas More's name finally flashed across the screen as the eighth seed in the South Region, it was Pandemonium at a Kentucky restaurant where about 40 players, coaches, family and friends had assembled to watch the Division III Tournament draw on television.
Before the screaming died down, coach Sharri Brumfield had hugged all her players, parents were crying and Thomas More NCAA T-Shirts were being passed out. You would never know they had just drawn a trip to top-seed Roanoke's (25-2) home floor on Wednesday.
''I was so relieved,'' said sophomore guard Stephanie Desmond just moments after the suspense was lifted. ''We know we can compete with them, but we don't have very much time to celebrate or prepare. It will be a very hectic three days.''
The moment was especially sweet for 10th-year coach Brumfield, whose team received an
at-large bid at 18-6.
''This feeling is second to no other feeling I've had as a coach,'' Brumfield said, ''I've had more talented teams, but never one more committed to win it. Their chemistry has been electrifying.''
Brumfield immediately reminded her players that Maryville (Tenn.), a team Thomas More beat earlier this season, played Roanoke to the wire before falling.
''I'm just glad we're there,'' Brumfield said. ''I didn't really care who we played.''
