The Spectrum

Issue date: 3/23/06 Section: Sports

Media Credit: The Spectrum/ Travis Flynn Nicole Rubino hugs teammates (Katie Brown pictured) as she steps off the court one last time for SHU.

The buzzer sounded and Nicholle Rubino leapt into the arms of her teammates with overflowing joy as Sacred Heart clinched the Northeast Conference tournament title. Quinnipiac stared with shock and Pioneer fans in the Pitt Center looked on with excitement as the senior captain celebrated her accomplished goal that was set four years ago.

"Coming in as a freshman, we hosted the first round of the tournament and lost the first game. Then as a sophomore the same thing happened and we lost the second game in the tournament. We had never been able to get over that hump," Rubino said at a press conference prior to the first round of the NCAA tournament. "Then this year we promised ourselves that were going to go farther, and we did."

The 2005-2006 women's basketball team set a school record 26-5 win-loss tally and endured every obstacle that was thrown their way in a tough NEC.

After defeating Quinnipiac, it went on to Penn State in the Albuquerque region of the NCAA tournament to take on second-seeded Maryland. The Pioneers trailed by 14 at the half, but the Terrapins pulled away as fans viewed the game all across the country courtesy of ESPN network. Rubino scored 10 points, pulled down four rebounds and dished out four assists.

Sacred Heart has watched Rubino thrive throughout her glowing career, and will not forget one of the 1,326 points she accumulated in 115 career games on the hardwood sporting a red and white Sacred Heart jersey.

As a freshman in 2002-2003, Rubino wasted no time in working her way to becoming one of the school's all-time greats when she was awarded NEC Rookie of the Year. She continued her success in her sophomore and junior years, but she played the role of senior captain best this past season. The 5'9 guard scored her 1,000th point earlier in the campaign and also surpassed 400 rebounds, 300 assists, and 200 steals in her four-year career.

However, the only statistic that is not shown in the books is leadership, which is what she will be remembered for. Becoming one of the contractors in building the basketball program at Sacred Heart is an honor, and Rubino handled it like a champion.

Rubino's number '3' may not be worn on the Pitt Center courts again, but anytime a Pioneer basketball fan thinks of this season's NEC champions, the senior captain will not be forgotten.

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