This weekend was a homecoming of sorts for the Ball State University soccer team.
After a 3-0 win Sunday against Kent State University, last year's team was awarded its Mid-American Conference championship rings by Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tom Collins and President Jo Ann Gora.
For former player Lindsay Martin it was a day to remember.
"It is kind of like a celebratory finalization kind of thing," she said. "It is kind of like a surprise treat because we won the MAC conference a while ago."
Martin, a senior last year, wasn't the only former player to attend the ceremony. Angie Heyer, a 2007 senior and current graduate assistant, basked in the memories of last year as well this weekend.
"It was pretty cool just to be able to remember the season we had," she said. "We had the chance to come out here and watch a new generation of players play and do such a good job and carry on what we left behind."
Ball State became the first team in MAC history to win back-to-back outright regular-season conference championships in 2007. The championships were the first two for the Cardinals, who are in their 10th season of soccer.
Senior Emily Rein said she doesn't want her team to get wrapped up in the ceremonies of the weekend.
"I think it's a nice thing to have, but it's last year," she said. "It's something we did in the past. We're proud of it, but we have a lot to prove this year, and we're more focused on that right now. It's a great honor and everything, but we had our time. We're going to put it behind us."
Although Rein does not want the team to dwell on the past, she said, this weekend's ceremony could help motivate Ball State.
"I think all of the upperclassmen know the feeling of having the championship mentality and knowing what it means to win the MAC," she said. "I think it shows the underclassmen this is what we did last year, and this is what you can do this year. I think it gives them a little something to look forward to and work for."
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