CALDWELL, Idaho — “Reminder that expectations don’t bring results—we have to do the hard work,” said College of Idaho men’s basketball coach Colby Blaine.
The Elgin Baylor Arena was packed with purple as many fans came out to support the men's basketball team, now two-time NAIA national champions.
“We’ve been working for this all year, so it was really cool that the day finally came. We didn't change anything all year; we just stayed the course and knew exactly what to do,” said Dougie Peoples, a College of Idaho basketball player.
Peoples, a sophomore and the number 5 on the men's basketball team, reflected on the day the team won the championship, noting that many couldn't believe they pulled it off once again.
“It was cool to do it with all of my best friends. It was awesome,” Peoples said.
“It's bittersweet. Playing for this program has been super unique, being able to come here and be with these amazing fans,” said Paul Wilson, a College of Idaho basketball player.
At the banner-raising ceremony, each player was welcomed one by one as fans cheered and congratulated them on their hard work.
“Coach Blaine and I laughed because we were the two that didn’t relax until the actual buzzer sounded,” said Reagan Rossi, vice president of athletics.
Rossi reflected on the journey of the team, from 25 consecutive wins to heading to the tournament. “It’s been unforgettable,” she said.
“Something—as a coach and administrator—that you hope for your student-athletes is for them to be able to experience this at least once in their life. We’ve got a bunch of students who have now done it twice,” said Rossi.
“I’ll tell you this: I’m already ready to get going,” said Blaine.
He acknowledged that while the team is saying farewell to eight seniors, he's excited for next season with the incoming players and the returning athletes.
“And we are excited about the expectations and the pressures. We want to find ourselves back in Kansas City,” Blaine said.
As for the community and fan base, each player, coach, and administrator said they couldn’t have accomplished this without their support.
"We have the best community in the country. It's really cool to see that people care," said Blaine.