UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – An impactful Lady Lion career, and perhaps an unexpected one, is set to be celebrated this Saturday when senior guard Sarah McMurtry will be honored on her Senior Day.
The two-time captain began her career as a normal Penn State student, attending the same university where her father played baseball and both older brothers had also studied. While McMurtry played both soccer and basketball in high school, basketball was her favorite so she tried out and made the club basketball team. When the Lady Lions announced they would be holding walk-on tryouts, McMurtry tried out again, and to her surprise made the team as a freshman walk-on.
"It's just a whirlwind," McMurtry said, heading into her special day. "Just such an unexpected blessing and just an unbelievable amount of positives that come out of playing at a university like this with its legacy and its greatness. Growing up as a fan and knowing all that and now being able to be such a big part of it has been awesome. I really can't put it into words because it's just such a blessing on my life."
While a walk-on's the on-court impact can be slim, it has been other ways that McMurtry has proven valuable. She has twice earned Penn State's Big Ten Sportsmanship award and was also named team captain prior to her sophomore year. Her work ethic in practice helped etch a role that reaps little glory but head coach Coquese Washington has noticed.
"When you come on a team as a walk-on most of her impact is going to be in practice, it's not going to be on gameday and she has continued to get better from a skill and athletic standpoint every year where she has helped us in practice and being great on the scout team and helping us prepare for gameday," Washington said.
As McMurtry has grown on the court, she has also felt herself change off of it as well. It can be frustrating to practice every day but have rare in game opportunities. But the mindset and takeaways from this experience prove how valuable sports are to McMurtry.
"It's been challenging at times but also really rewarding and I've learned lessons that I didn't think I was going to get to learn. You don't always think about everything that's going to shape you when you don't have the on-court experience but kind of taking hold of the team in other ways through my leadership positions has really taught me a lot and I will carry it with me in a couple months when I leave this place."
While Washington sees on-court improvement, she also notices the impact on younger players McMurtry has. There is a reason she was awarded both a scholarship following her freshman year and a captain spot.
"I think (her teammates) respect her tremendously," Washington said. "It goes to show them, she's a great role model for quiet leadership, behind the scenes impact, and that everybody has a chance in whatever role you have. Everybody has a chance to enhance the culture of a team or an organization. Certainly Sarah has been a big part of that for us."
As her career turns toward the final semester at Penn State, McMurtry is motivated by the same thing that brought her to Penn State in the first place. It's not just basketball, but her love for Penn State as a whole. She tries her best to communicate this to her younger teammates so they can appreciate Penn State in the same way she has.
"I think the best way is just trying to express to them how much Penn State means to people," McMurtry said. "Everywhere we go around the country, even around the world when we're wearing our Penn State basketball things you are always going to meet a Penn State fan you are always going to meet a Penn State graduate because it means so much to them. That Penn State legacy means so much to anybody who's been a part of the University so trying to talk to the younger players just about the pride that is Penn State and hoping that they play with that pride."
The Lady Lions take on Illinois this Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Bryce Jordan Center celebrating Sarah McMurtry day.
