All-American
Sarah Shogren was shortchanged.
The Whitworth senior All-American walked off the court after the final game of her college basketball career knowing in her heart that it wasn’t her final game. Part of the most successful team in school history, Shogren just knew the team would keep playing.
The Pirates completed a 22-3 regular season by beating Willamette, 77-73 at the Field House. They were ranked 16th nationally. And they were the No. 2 team in a conference with a history of playing well in the NCAA Division III tournament.
“We were so confident that we would get in the tournament,” the East Valley graduate said. “There was no feeling at all that it was our last game.”
But the Pirates were overlooked by the Division III selection committee. Of the seven at-large berths available, the committee selected five regular season champions who’d lost in their respective conference tournaments. For the final two spots, the committee took two teams from the New England Small College Athletic Conference: Bates, the second-place team, and Wesleyan, the fourth-place team that was beaten in the conference tournament’s quarterfinal round.
“That was so disappointing,” Shogren said. “We were just stunned. Just like that, it was all over. We were never going to play together again. We were so disappointed, but at the same time, we could only blame ourselves. We’re the ones who lost those three games.”
That, in a nutshell, is Sarah Shogren. No finger-pointing. No excuses.
It’s that inner honesty and drive that turned the 5-foot-9 forward into a scoring and rebounding force and an All-America selection after averaging 18.8 points per game and 10 rebounds per game.
Shogren was named an Academic All-American by ESPN The Magazine, tabbed a Second Team All-American by D3hoops.com and Honorable Mention All-American on the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association/Kodak All-America team.
“That’s such a great honor,” Shogren said. “But I never know what to say about it. What can you say? People congratulate me and I don’t know how to respond. I just mumble ‘thank you’ and change the subject.”
Humble though she is, Shogren earned each and every honor that has come her way.
Statistically, Shogren ranks fifth all-time in total points scored by a Whitworth woman (1,290 career points), fourth all-time in total rebounds (761), and fifth in both career points per game (14.2) and rebounds per game (8.36). She posted double-digits in both points and rebounds in the same game 33 times during her career and is one of only 11 players in Whitworth history to have scored more than 1,000 career points. And she holds the school record with 20 rebounds in a game.
Shogren’s senior teammates, Tiffany Speer, Dani Bielec and Wenchi Liu, helped the Pirates to a 78-25 record over their four-year careers.
“The thing is, we’re all best friends off the court,” Shogren said. “We loved playing together. I think that was the secret of our success. We just loved each other and had fun.”
Despite that last chance to play together, Shogren did have an opportunity to savor her final game.
Prior to tip-off against Willamette, the four seniors and their families were introduced to the Field House crowd and saluted for all their efforts and success.
Shogren found a perfect fit at Whitworth.
“This has been a great place for me,” she said. “It’s a wonderful, Christian atmosphere. The teachers are all so helpful and supportive to athletes. It’s a family atmosphere here.”
Shogren’s easing her transition out of basketball by playing for the Whitworth golf team – and playing well.
“I started doing this last year,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun. We play at the country club – what can be better than that?”
Shogren plans to take a year off after graduation before pursuing medical school.
“I’m not sure what I’m going to be doing – working probably,” she said. “Meanwhile, I’m applying to med schools and to physician’s assistant’s programs – that way I have my bases covered.”