Shaw's Love of the Game Makes Impact on Women's Basketball Program

(PITTSBURGH, Pa.) - It could easily be argued that never in the history of Carnegie Mellon University women's basketball has anyone genuinely just loved the game as much as recent alumna Jacquie Shaw, who has no intention of taking any break from the sport post-graduation.

"Basketball just makes me happy; I can't imagine not playing it," Shaw said. "It's also a great way to stay in shape and meet people."

Shaw could always be found around Skibo Gymnasium shooting hoops, practicing her ball-handling skills, or in the Cohon University Center playing pick-up.

"I am going to miss basketball because not only is it something familiar, but it's something that I love to do," Shaw said. "I love learning new moves and playing with new people and I love the challenge of playing competitively."

Although her collegiate basketball career has come to an end, Shaw isn't quite finished with Carnegie Mellon.  She will be working during the summer in Michigan for Ford, and then will be returning in the fall to finish her master's and graduate with a Master's of Science in Mechanical Engineering.

"It is going to be really strange being on campus in October when the season starts again and I don't have to go to practice every day," Shaw said.

Shaw has all intentions of keeping in touch with the basketball team and the coaches.

"I will definitely keep in touch with the team and the coaches, but at the same time I don't want to get in the way of the experience of others, so I don't want to be too involved in what happens to the team next," Shaw explained.

Shaw will be the team's biggest fan in the stands and believes in the talent the team has and will be bringing in for next season.

"I think the basketball program here is ripe for success," Shaw said. "In my past few years here, it's felt like the program as a whole has been building to something great and I know there are some great girls coming in. I believe whole-heartedly in next year's captains, so I believe the team will only continue to grow in numbers and success."

Although the team made strides in a positive direction throughout her four years at Carnegie Mellon, the records and numbers at the end of the year didn't reflect the amount of successes the women's basketball team acquired, but Shaw knows that is not necessarily a bad thing because failure is something a program and its individuals can learn from.

"Failure is a greater teacher than success," Shaw said. "There are a lot of exams, project decisions, and games that I wish I could get back, that I think I could have done differently if I had made different decisions, but I have learned so much from failing that I don't regret any of the choices I have made."

Like all Carnegie Mellon student-athletes, Shaw understands that the balance between academics and athletics can be both difficult and competitive.

"There are so many amazing people at this school it's hard not to compare yourself to other people," Shaw said. "It's also hard to give up some things or miss out on things in order to be good at other activities."

Last summer Shaw had an internship that required her to get up at five in the morning to drive three hours round trip, but at the end of the day she could be found at the gym getting her summer workouts in.  Now, Shaw will miss those workouts, but at the same time is looking forward to having a little more free time in her schedule.

"It feels pretty nice to be done with my collegiate career," Shaw said. "I will definitely miss it, but I knew coming in that I only had four years to play, so I tried to make the most of them while I could."

Shaw certainly made the most of her four years.  As a senior she earned All-University Athletic Association (UAA) Honorable Mention, started in all 25 games, twice scored a season-high of 20 points and led the team in assists with 84.

With new ambitions in the realm of basketball, Shaw is planning ahead for what roles the game of basketball will play in her future.

"One goal of mine is to take a group of third graders and teach them different spin moves and defensive fundamentals and then coach them through high school," Shaw said. "I also think I want to coach at the college level at some point."