The 2019 Rams Reflect is the fourth in a series of annual collections. Senior captains and representatives of Suffolk teams have been invited to contribute viewpoints based on personal experience from both their senior seasons and full varsity careers at Suffolk.
For a complete listing of past and present Rams’ Reflections, click here.
Marissa Gudauskas | Hometown: Bolton, Conn. | Accouting
When people say, “time flies”, they are truly not exaggerating. I still remember, a mere five years ago, beginning my college search and constantly saying over and over, how I absolutely did not want to go to school in a city. I wanted a school with a traditional campus and an exceptional reputation, and an opportunity for me to continue playing basketball. It took just one visit to Suffolk University for me to know that I was wrong about one thing… I wanted to be in a “city”. Suffolk had so much to offer me, and it was obvious from that first visit to Boston that I wanted to be a Ram.
To my teammates: Thank you for pushing me to get better each and every day, the constant support, and always believing in me, especially when I didn’t believe in myself. Remember, always stick together. The season is long and it’s inevitable that the team will experience ups and downs. So, celebrate the wins, grow and come back stronger after the losses. And remember, despite anything that happens, stick together.
Cherish your time as a Ram and don’t take anything for granted because four years goes by faster than you think. Before you know it, your college basketball career will be over and you’ll be wishing you could play just one more game. Put in the hard work each and every day, smile, have fun, and enjoy every moment. Because when you look up at the clock and see the last seconds of your last game tick away, and you hear that buzzer for the last time, you’ll walk off the court for the last time proud to be part of this team and proud to be a Ram. The countless hours in the gym, the long bus rides to Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire, the heartbreaking losses and the exciting wins, the bonds you formed along the way … these are the things you’ll reflect on and realize, it was all worth it.
Thank you for the constant laughs and all of the memories. It’s been a fun ride and I have you guys to thank for that. Go forward and win the GNAC title for all of us who wish we had just one more shot at it. I’ll be cheering you on from the sidelines.
To the incoming freshmen: Take pride in being a Ram because it will likely be one of the best decisions you’ll make in your lifetime. Take advantage of the time that you have. Make the time to get to the gym and don’t stop working hard. All of that hard work will pay off, trust me. You’re going to face adversity and times aren’t always going to be the easiest. Embrace the challenges, never give up, and don’t ever stop believing in yourself. Finally, be a good teammate. No one will remember the turnover you made or the shot you missed, that is basketball. But everyone will remember how you made them feel and the kind of teammate that you were. Stay positive, be supportive, and never stop reaching beyond what’s in front of you.
To my family: Thank you to both my parents and my grandparents for pushing me to visit a school in a city. Without that nudge, I probably wouldn’t have ventured out of my comfort zone, landing at Suffolk University. To my grandparents, thank you for the unwavering love and support and never missing a game. It meant a lot to me that you never missed a game, ever, and that you willingly left sunny Florida many times to fly back to Boston in the winter just to attend games.
Mom and Dad, I will never be able to thank you enough for the love, support and encouragement you have shown me in my lifetime. No matter how much work you had or how busy you were, I never had to wonder if you were watching a game because you always made being there for me a priority, even when it meant leaving work early and racing from Connecticut to make a 5’oclock game in Boston, or spending your Saturdays driving to Maine, three hours each way. Thank you for pushing me to be the best that I could be as a person, player, and leader. And thank you for being my #1 fans.
I’m beyond grateful to Suffolk University for giving me the opportunity to continue playing the sport I love at the collegiate level and setting me up for success after graduation. The road hasn’t always been easy, but if I had to do it all over again, I would not change a thing. I will forever miss lacing up my shoes, putting on the Suffolk jersey, and playing alongside my teammates, and I will never forget the friendships I’ve made, the coaches that pushed me to be better, the lessons I’ve learned, and the experience of what it meant to be a Ram.
Marissa Gudauskas