University of Minnesota Athletics
Photo by: Craig Lassig
McCarville's Banner Rises to the Rafters
12/16/2019 10:39:00 AM | Women's Basketball
MINNEAPOLIS -- Before the Minnesota women's basketball team took down UC Davis on Sunday afternoon, there was one thing that had to be taken care of first.
In a special pregame ceremony, former Gophers great Janel McCarville became the seventh player in program history to have a banner raised in her honor. McCarville's No. 4 now sits among the best to ever wear the Maroon and Gold and is positioned in between No. 1 Rachel Banham and, fittingly, No. 13 Lindsay Whalen, who was her teammate for three years and helped carry the program to heights that it had never seen.
"I've waited a long time for this moment," McCarville said in a pre-event press conference. "I'm glad the day has finally approached and I get to spend it with my friends, family and former teammates. I'm not sure the emotions I will have, but at this moment I'm very ecstatic and kind of jittery in a way, so as it approaches I think I'm going to be even more nervous but definitely happy that it's happening and really looking forward to the moment."
Also accompanying McCarville forever in the rafters of Williams Arena are No. 13 Debbie Hunter, No. 13 Lindsay Whalen, No. 21 Linda Roberts, No. 42 Carol Ann Shudlick and No. 44 Laura Coenen.
"She's excited," McCarville said of joining Whalen in the rafters. "I'm thankful that she pushed to make it happen. I'm real excited that they put us next to each other because we're best buddies like that. All the memories we shared together, we'll be up in the rafters together. Just a tremendous moment and I'm excited for it. We've had a couple of conversations about the good times we had and everything that led to her being there and me now joining."Â
Sunday's ceremony began with a highlight video that chronicled her playing career and featured former teammates including Whalen, Kelly Curry, Kadidja Andersson and her former head coach Pam Borton.
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After the video played, Whalen took to the mic to say a few words. From there, she counted down to the banner unveiling, appropriately starting at four. As the countdown ended, a black sheet covering the banner was then raised to thunderous ovations and cheers from the fans in attendance.
McCarville, who was joined on court by her father, former teammates and coaches and members of the Minnesota administration, then said a few words of her own thanking her family, friends, coaches, teammates and fans who have supported her throughout her career.
"I think we all felt like it was time," Whalen said after the game. "So I did what I had to do, we all did what we had to do to get up there. She is where she belongs. We worked through it and figured out the timing when she could come back from overseas. Between myself and our great athletic department we just figured it out and found the date. It worked, she flew in from Sweden yesterday, she made her flight by 10 minutes. We are just glad she made it."
In a special pregame ceremony, former Gophers great Janel McCarville became the seventh player in program history to have a banner raised in her honor. McCarville's No. 4 now sits among the best to ever wear the Maroon and Gold and is positioned in between No. 1 Rachel Banham and, fittingly, No. 13 Lindsay Whalen, who was her teammate for three years and helped carry the program to heights that it had never seen.
"I've waited a long time for this moment," McCarville said in a pre-event press conference. "I'm glad the day has finally approached and I get to spend it with my friends, family and former teammates. I'm not sure the emotions I will have, but at this moment I'm very ecstatic and kind of jittery in a way, so as it approaches I think I'm going to be even more nervous but definitely happy that it's happening and really looking forward to the moment."
Once more for No. 4.#McCarvilleWeek pic.twitter.com/pl8LX9jmlC
— Minnesota Women's Basketball (@GopherWBB) December 16, 2019
Also accompanying McCarville forever in the rafters of Williams Arena are No. 13 Debbie Hunter, No. 13 Lindsay Whalen, No. 21 Linda Roberts, No. 42 Carol Ann Shudlick and No. 44 Laura Coenen.
"She's excited," McCarville said of joining Whalen in the rafters. "I'm thankful that she pushed to make it happen. I'm real excited that they put us next to each other because we're best buddies like that. All the memories we shared together, we'll be up in the rafters together. Just a tremendous moment and I'm excited for it. We've had a couple of conversations about the good times we had and everything that led to her being there and me now joining."Â
Sunday's ceremony began with a highlight video that chronicled her playing career and featured former teammates including Whalen, Kelly Curry, Kadidja Andersson and her former head coach Pam Borton.
Â
This is how you get a banner raised in your honor.
— Minnesota Women's Basketball (@GopherWBB) December 16, 2019
Congratulations once again, @JanelMcCarville!#SKIUMAH #McCarvilleWeek pic.twitter.com/ixwOxWjOLx
After the video played, Whalen took to the mic to say a few words. From there, she counted down to the banner unveiling, appropriately starting at four. As the countdown ended, a black sheet covering the banner was then raised to thunderous ovations and cheers from the fans in attendance.
McCarville, who was joined on court by her father, former teammates and coaches and members of the Minnesota administration, then said a few words of her own thanking her family, friends, coaches, teammates and fans who have supported her throughout her career.
"I think we all felt like it was time," Whalen said after the game. "So I did what I had to do, we all did what we had to do to get up there. She is where she belongs. We worked through it and figured out the timing when she could come back from overseas. Between myself and our great athletic department we just figured it out and found the date. It worked, she flew in from Sweden yesterday, she made her flight by 10 minutes. We are just glad she made it."
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