In her first three seasons, senior Brie Galicinao earned almost every individual title the Ivy League offered without accomplishing her initial, and ultimate, goal — a n Ivy League championship for the softball team.
This season, however, Galicinao made the Ivy title her personal mission, earning a perfect 7-0 record on the mound in league play while the team finished 13-1 en route to Princeton's first title since 1996.
Now, in addition, Galicinao can add one more trophy to her personal case as she was named the 2001-2002 Daily Princetonian Women's Athlete of the Year Wednesday evening.
"This season has been a great way to end my career here," Galicinao said. "I know that right now, I'm playing as well as I ever have."
From the first doubleheader of her Ivy League career when she knocked in the game-winning run with a seventh-inning double to her final league twinbill when she drove in six runs and pitched a complete game victory over Brown, Galicinao had a large share of successful individual moments.
She was named to the All-Ivy First Team twice, the Second Team once and in her junior season was named both Ivy League Pitcher of the Year and Player of the Year — the first time a player had ever picked up both honors in a season. In that same junior season, she finished with an ERA of 0.64, one of the 10 lowest in the nation.
For her first three seasons, however, her teams were never able to live up to their potential. Despite its position as the top program in the Ivy League, Princeton was unable to regain its league title after three consecutive banners were hoisted in the mid-1990s.
"We were never able to get all the people on the team peaking at the right time," Galicinao said.
This year, however, her teammates matched Galicinao's individual success as the team advanced to Regionals for the first time in six years. Her individual effort this season was exemplary as the lefthander led the league both in strikeouts (148) and ERA (0.69) as a pitcher, but also excelled as a hitter, leading all Ivy players in hits, runs scored, doubles and multi-hit games. She also picked up her second Pitcher of the Year award.
"She's the most kinesthetically aware athlete I've seen," head coach Maureen Davies '97 said. "She knows how to fine tune her pitching or hitting when something goes wrong."
While Galicinao led the team on the field as its best hitter and pitcher, she also led a young squad in the locker room. Princeton started four freshmen this season and was in need of leadership — a trait that was provided well not only from Galicinao but also fellow seniors Kim Veenstra and Sarah Jane White.
"I've learned a lot both from watching her deal with different situations when she pitches and also from her work ethic," freshman Melissa Finley said. "Brie provides leadership both on and off the field for us."
But more than the traditional senior leadership involving mentoring with a serious tone, Galicinao brings a love for the game and a positive outlook on life to the team. Incoming players are welcomed with a smile and a laugh and brought into the family that Davies, Galicinao and Veenstra have created in the past two seasons.
"The first thing I think about when I think about Brie is her love of the game," Davies said. "Even on the days when she doesn't want to play, she still brings a good attitude to the field."
Next week, Princeton will find out where it will be traveling for NCAA Regionals. It will be the first time any of the current Tiger players will be competing in NCAAs, against the best competition in the country. It will also be the final chance for Galicinao to show that she belongs on a national stage.
"I always wanted to get a chance to play in Regionals and now I finally have my chance," Galicinao said. "I'm just sad I won't get a chance to play with this team again."
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