The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/743343
88 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY BRIAN RAPP M iah Spencer still remembers one of the worst nights of her life as if it happened yesterday. March 14 — the night that ESPN aired the selection show for the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. Spencer, along with the rest of her Wolfpack teammates, coaching staff and a standing room-only crowd of fans at Sammy's Tap and Grill, watched as the 64 teams were revealed. When, despite a 20-win season and a fifth-place finish in the Atlantic Coast Con- ference, NC State's name was not among those 64, Spencer dissolved in tears. "It was a lot of emotion," the Pack's senior guard recalled. "For me, it was for the se- niors, especially Carlee [Schumacher]. She'd never been to the tournament, and that's all she talked about as soon as she got here. My thoughts were myself, and my team — but mainly for Carlee and the other seniors [Ash- ley Eli and Kaley Moser] because I knew it was their last year. "And, the fact that when we played Syra- cuse [in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals], we didn't know that would be our last game of the season. That's probably what hurt all of us the most." It's a feeling that the youngest of two chil- dren of Sheila Spencer hopes she'll never experience again — especially now that she is in her final year as a Pack player herself. "It is lot of motivation," she said. "Not just for myself and the coaches, but the team and the seniors we have [fellow guards Domi- nique Wilson and Ashley Williams, and for- ward Jenn Mathurin]. It's unbelievable how hard we work, even after practice, and we're usually the first ones in here before practice, or we come in at night and shoot around. "I think we need to not play for ourselves to be successful this year, but play for each other. I feel like that's what I've always done; is play for the seniors on the team. All the ac- colades are nice for me, but nothing's nice of you don't do it for your seniors so they have something to remember. That's all I pray for this year — that my younger teammates play for my senior class." Putting others before personal glory has been a defining trait of the Toccoa, Ga., na- tive ever since stepping foot on the NC State campus four years ago. Despite honors such as being named team captain ever since her sophomore season, a probable three-year starter at guard and being named second- team All-ACC this past year, Spencer has always measured success in terms of how others, and her team, have fared rather than herself. "She is a great teammate," Pack head coach Wes Moore said. "She cares about them, and I think what made last March so emotional for her was because she real- ized that there was no second chance for the seniors. "She's a winner — that's the one word that comes to mind when you think of Miah. She may not always be the quickest, or the best shooter, or whatever you might look for, but she finds a way to compete and win. She'll get in there and battle and get it done." Since replacing injured shooting guard LEADING BY EXAMPLE Hard Work And Selflessness Have Made Miah Spencer An Unquestioned Success "Every day, day in and day out, she pushes herself to get better, which then causes everyone else to raise their game a level. I know it's a cliché, but I think Miah is a prime example of how hard work can be rewarded, because she's made herself a great player in a great conference." ■ Head coach Wes Moore on Spencer Spencer, a senior guard, already ranks among the top 25 in NC State program history in both career points and assists, and could threaten to crack the top 10 in both categories. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN BASKETBALL PREVIEW 2016-17