Portland State Magazine, Spring 2021

SPRING 2021 // 19 “Troughout that time of no basketball at all, taking care of our mental health was something that we talked about as a team,”Walton said. “As college athletes— and, I think I can speak for everyone— playing our sport is really what makes us happy.” In addition to all the uncertainty, men’s basketball was recovering from the letdown of last March. “We’d won six straight [games] and were coming into the tournament with a lot of confdence,” said Burke.Te morning of the 2020 quarterfnals game, the Big Sky Conference canceled the remainder of the tournaments. “We didn’t even get to play a game,” Burke said. “It was most disappointing especially for the seniors on our team. It was a tough way to end the season.” Women’s basketball player Tatiana Streun had invited Walton to spend spring break at her Bellevue, Washington, family home.Te teammates had planned a Florida vacation following the tourna- ment’s abrupt cancellation. “We were in Washington when Tots and I, along with the rest of the world, realized how serious the virus really was.” school.Tis also left them scrambling to stay ready for whatever the ever-changing situation might bring. Adams, at home in Newberg, lifted weights and did feld drills to stay in shape for football. (Because of restric- tions, the football team went 10 months without formal workouts.) “I was fortunate,” he said. “Some guys didn’t have access to weights or equip- ment.”To stay sane, he said “there was a lot of golf played last summer and I got up to the mountain to snowboard this winter.” Adams, Burke and Walton found the transition to online classes difcult, espe- cially Walton. While she was in England last spring—with an eight-hour time diference—she found herself glued to her computer for an online class at 1:30 a.m. with other classes late in the evening. Still, she’s on track to graduate this spring, as is Adams, who plans to work on his master’s degree in health promotion during the two years of football eligibility he has left.Te NCAA has granted athletes an additional year of eligibility. All three reported that they’d found silver linings in a season none will forget. “You don’ t realize how much you care about something until it is taken from you.” Ten, head women’s basketball coach Lynn Kennedy called and urged Walton to head home to Milton Keynes, England, rather than wait for summer and get stuck stateside. “It’s always nice to visit home, see family and friends, eat food that I’ve missed,”Walton said. “But, I was not expecting to be home for fve months.” Still, coaches and teams adjusted. “Te most difcult element of the past year has been the uncertainty and lack of routine,” said Valerie Cleary, director of athletics. “We’ve worked hard to stay connected with student athletes and staf via Zoom and Google Meets and have developed protocols for the resumption of athletic activities focusing on health and safety.” Loss of daily routines as well as the rhythms of sports seasons proved partic- ularly jarring.Tey had been a key part of most of the athletes’ lives since grade “It has made me realize that I have to be patient for the future. I have been here for three and a half years and was eager for the real world. But, this has been a good reminder to be patient and remem- ber that it has all happened for a reason,” Adams said. “We have all grown as individuals and as a team,”Walton said. “I know that we all are very grateful for every opportunity to get on the court this season.” Te past year has been crazy, Burke said, noting a recent game that was canceled after a fve-and-a-half-hour bus ride to Cheney, Washington. Still, “it has helped me put basketball into perspective. You don’t realize how much you care about something until it’s taken from you,” he said. “It’s also reminded me that this game is so much less important than the health and well-being of friends and family.” — JOHN L. WYKOFF ’65 MIGHTY VIKS compiled by Michael Lund EMPTY STANDS Due to COVID-19 restrictions, no fans were allowed to attend the first home event of the pandemic, a Dec. 8 Portland State men’s basketball game against Northwest University. 0 TESTING, TESTING During basketball season, approximately 125 COVID-19 tests were administered weekly to the men’s and women’s teams to ensure a safe return to play. 125 GUARD SUPER STAR Senior guard Kylie Jimenez finished her career with 1,279 points, 538 assists and 283 steals. She is only the third player in Portland State history to reach those numbers, joining Hall of Famers Claire Faucher and Kim Manifesto. 1 of 3 CARING FOR COMMUNITY The Portland State Athletics’ Viks vs. Hunger program raised $10,153 from 158 donors and received a $10,000 matching donation from On-Point Community Credit Union to provide 201,530 meals on campus and in the community. 201,530