Average? Sure, they were just average guys playing a game they live and breathe and love with all their hearts on an average day, but in that moment, they were more than average. In that moment, they were heroes.

I understand "miracle team" is not a conventional phrase in the world of sports, whether the level is high school, college, or pro, but under some circumstances, “Cinderella team” doesn’t do justice. This happens to be one of those circumstances, because I think nearly everyone can agree that this team was so much more than an unexpected Cinderella. Maybe you didn’t believe they would get as far as they did in this incredible run, but the talent and heart they have is much, much more than your typical Cinderella. So, from here on out, they will be referred to as the miracle team. And what a miracle it was.

First off, I think I speak on behalf of the entire college community, maybe even the county itself, when I say thank you for letting us witness something so special that it will never be forgotten. Thank you for something so special that no matter what the record books say, you came home as the team on top. Conference playoffs? Yes, that was a given. There was no way this team was going home already. Despite heavy rain and hail delays along with frigid temperatures (yes, fans were bundled up in blankets in the middle of May) and working around graduation, you gave the campus fans one heck of a weekend to roll to your eighth title in as many years.

The next level was a bit harder, but there was so much faith in you and it showed. From the get-go, half of us thought you would be playing right down the road, but the four-hour journey to Connecticut turned into road trips for some and glued to computer screens for others. We couldn’t have been more proud of the outcome as you won the Regional Tournament for only the second time in school history; and undefeated no less. That’s crazy! Wisconsin was the next stop and the final stop. Endgame.

Appleton brought a lot of smiles, laughs, and ultimately tears (although the tears shouldn’t stay for long). Three records were shattered or tied in a span of five games with others just on the verge. Is there a record for the most records broken in a single season? Because after this, there should be. Phenomenal displays of defense, offense, and heart were never left to the wayside every time you took the field. For those who couldn’t make the trip, the energy was so high that they could feel it through the laptop or television screen, through the tiny phone screen watching live statistics, or through the Twitter account bringing updates every few minutes (even those darn Tarpcon updates because Mother Nature just refused to cooperate). Even through the adversity of late nights and being unsure of whether a game would be played or not, the trademark Giant energy never faltered. Many thought the mentality of most of the teams would be out the window the first night everyone was stuck at the park until nearly midnight in a five-hour long delay, but no one was taking this team out of the zone they were in. Even as the hopes of a title looked dim, the energy never ever vanished and gave the eventual champions quite a few scares.

But this is to give you so much more than an emotional recap. This is to say thank you for a fantastic season. Thank you for never giving up. Thank you for giving it your all. Thank you for being such a joy to watch and making the end of one tough semester so much fun, and letting us continue this journey with you well after everyone went home. But most of all, thank you for bringing a grieving, put-through-the-wringer, gone in the warpath family together in a way I, for one, never thought possible. As this unbelievable run continued on and on, I saw more and more and more people on social media and in person and everywhere I looked following your tracks. People I didn’t even think knew what a baseball was were showing their support, rallying behind you, talking about it with people they probably never talked to before. It was the most magical and heart-warming event to witness.

This family came together one last time this year in ways I never expected, but for something good this time. And it’s all because of you. Triples, home runs, incredible hits, eye-catching plays, ESPN Top 10 catches, and some magic on the sidelines, all of that will be in everyone’s memories, especially yours, but what people will remember is not the lucky breaks or cheap hits other teams were able to sneak by to win the title over you. They won’t remember the biased announcers and horrid calls. They won’t remember the final scoreboards or the bobbled balls. What people will remember is what a phenomenal team you are. They will remember the miraculous comebacks. They will remembers the routs, the nail-biters, and the walk-offs. They will remember the amazing moments shown to them by a team of fighters. A team that never quit. A team that lit the fire of hope under a downward spiraling group. A team of All-Americans, All-Regions, MVPs, end-of-year award winners, and All-World Series players.

A team that has the most class out of anyone and deserved to get where they did more than anything. The tears will fade and the pride will work its way into your heads as it already has into ours, as it should. And if you didn’t believe that on the fateful night, I hope you believed it when you saw how many people were here to support you when you got off the bus and your smiles were genuine again. Thank you for giving us so much of the credit, from wishing you luck and talking to you on campus to showing up and watching the games, when in reality, all the credit goes to you. You have more talent and heart than I have seen in such a long time in watching sports, if ever, and this journey is something you all should be proud of, just as proud as we are and will continue to be as we brag about our national runner-up, silver medalist team for days and months to come.

So keep your heads held high, miracle team, and never drop them. Be proud and walk away knowing you did something so good, maybe even better than finishing first. Walk away knowing that you had a fantastic, unforgettable, history-making season. Thank you, miracle team.

Love,

Your College Family