Chelsea Rennie
Equinox Staff
It must be something in the Windsor Locks water for Courtney Cirillo. The senior captain recently accomplished the impressive feat of scoring 1,000 points throughout her basketball career for the second time.
On Jan. 24, Cirillo posted 21 points and 13 rebounds en route to a 20 point win over conference rival Eastern Connecticut State when she eclipsed the 1,000 point mark. This milestone further adds to the list of contributions the senior has made throughout her superb collegiate career.
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Cirillo becomes the eighteenth player in Keene State College women’s history to achieve the triumph of scoring 1,000 points throughout her Owl campaign. Joining an elite group of players Cirillo appreciates the honor and respects those who have come before her.
The last time this accomplishment was achieved was during the 2009-2010 season when the Owls welcomed seniors Kristin Degou and Nicole Simmler into the 1,000 point club.
The same year, the Owls captured the ECAC Championship after a hard fought overtime battle for the first time in history of the program.
Coach Keith Boucher believes playing with Degou and Simmler allowed Cirillo to develop some of the same traits and become a better player.
“Kristin and Nicole were both very dedicated and passionate like Courtney, and I think it helped a great deal. A program needs to pass down certain traits to survive; in the classroom, on the court. It’s a legacy you pass down- how to play the game, you will end up having players with the same character and work ethic.”
Cirillo agrees and accredits all past players who graduated prior to her for influencing and motivating her, “They taught me aspects beyonds stats that motivate me the most.”
Cirillo certainly does not lack character as she is always doing something to make a teammate laugh, usually subconsciously.
“Talking from experience as a past teammate of Courtney’s, I can say with confidence she is certainly not your average baller. Although she leads the team in almost every category, you would never know that after having a conversation with her,” Boucher said.
Down to earth and easy going, Cirillo said, “Points are not what I am going to remember at the end of all this. It is the times spent together and the great team accomplishments that I will never forget.”
Fellow tri-captain, Meghan Farrell, who has played along side Cirillo since freshman year believes there is no player more deserving of achieving this feat. “We all appreciate everything she brings to the table. Basketball, her sense of humor, friendship, and her inability to sing Mariah Carey.” Farrell says Cirillo’s ability to do as much as she can for her team to win is illustrated game by game in the box scores. “From the beginning of her career she lead by example. As a freshman she did the dirty work, setting up plays and doing the little things that not all see.”
Coach Boucher believes celebrating an individual endeavor like this contributes well to the program and is verification that if you work hard you can accomplish great things in four years. With a roster full of new talent the seven freshmen could learn a thing or two from Cirillo. It is extremely rare and refreshing to come across such a talented athlete who is as humble as Cirillo. Truly the team player, she is nothing but complimentary and appreciative of her teammates.
“This is an outcome of so many things I have learned from previous players that got me to this point. If it wasn’t for them there is no way I could accomplish any of this. Having the confidence of my coaches and teammates has made a big difference.”
Cirillo was not always in the spotlight and had to earn the respect of her teammates as a young player. She started off her freshman campaign by making a rookie mistake and missing the team’s mandatory fundraising trip to NASCAR. Eager to win the hearts of her teammates over, Cirillo kept working hard to prove herself and earn more playing time.
“It didn’t happen over night for Courtney. You get very territorial when you earn playing time. It is a privilege not a right to wear the uniform, good players aren’t going to give in,” Boucher said.
Cirillo certainly did not give in and continued to make a name for herself. Now serving her second season as a team leader, Boucher says it has been fun to watch her mature as a player, person, and leader. “I don’t know if there is anyone in their conference as multi-talented as she is,” Boucher added. Perhaps Cirillo earned the nickname “Creature Courtney” because her statistics suggest she is from another planet by the way she consistently reaches for the stars. Cirillo hopes to cap off her prolific career by racking up more wins for the Owls and capturing the program’s first ever Little East Championship.
Chelsea Rennie can be contacted at crennie@ksc.mailcruiser.com