This year, graduation ceremonies across the country look a lot different, with many schools going virtual for the first time due to the Coronavirus.
From parades down their childhood neighborhoods to Zoom parties, graduating seniors found ways to celebrate from home, and the 2020 Indiana Fever rookie class was no different.
Kathleen Doyle, whom the Fever selected with the No.14 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft, worked hard during her time at the University of Iowa, and completed a double degree in journalism and Spanish. Graduation was her chance to reflect on all those accomplishments.
“It’s definitely a weird feeling, it’s like did I actually graduate?” Doyle said while laughing. “Like I know I did but nothing happen, so it’s more of a pat yourself on the back moment.”
“I’ll celebrate with my family when I get back home and everyone is together. I am the youngest of six kids, so it’s more of celebration for my parents that they got six kids through college, so we’ll have a party for my parents to celebrate them.”
Lauren Cox, who was selected No. 3 overall, graduated from Baylor University with a degree in Corporate Communications. She too shared a similar opinion in the fact that it was “weird” to graduate virtually, but special nonetheless after all the hard work she had put in.
“Yeah it’s a little weird just like everything else that has been going on, everything has been virtual.” Cox said with a smile. “It’s kind of a good and bad thing, you don’t have to sit through that long graduation but again you don’t get that experience of walking across the stage and being there with your classmates.”
“It’s been really special, [my family] is all really proud of me, really excited for me. Finally done with 17 years of education. It’s fun, it’s exciting.”
Both Cox and Doyle also said during this time it’s fun to reflect on their college accomplishments outside the classroom, but instead on the court.
Cox who was described by one scout as a “versatile forward, known for her excellent passing and basketball IQ” averaged 12.5 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists per game as senior. She shared that her favorite college memory will always be winning the National Championship in 2019 as a junior.
“The one thing I’m always going to remember is winning that National Championship, that was a dream come true for me.” Cox said while smiling.” It was a little bittersweet because of my injury but you know we pulled it off and finished strong.”
For Doyle, who earned Big Ten Player of the Year as a senior while averaging 18.1 points, 6.3 assists, 4.6 rebounds per game, says her favorite college memory actually involves her new home with the Fever, Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
“My best memory, funny enough is was actually at Bankers Life Fieldhouse when we won the Big Ten Championship.” Doyle explained. “That was for sure my favorite memory. We proved a lot of people wrong and we beat Maryland twice so that was pretty sweet.”
“It’s kind of a full circle thing for me now being with the Fever and at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.”