Where were you on Thursday, March 12?
 
That's a question we have asked all our senior student-athletes in the last few weeks. That afternoon will be a moment they never forget, especially for the Panthers currently in their senior seasons.
 
On March 12, Georgia State's softball team waited anxiously at their dorms and apartments for the text that the team bus was on the way to pick them up for Mobile, Ala. The Panthers were scheduled to play three games at South Alabama beginning Friday.
 
But as the departure time approached, without a text, senior Baylee Sexton began to realize something wasn't right.
 
"We lifted from 1-2 p.m. that Thursday, " Baylee recollected. "We were supposed to leave for South Alabama at 3. As we were walking out of weights, there was a lot of talk between some of our friends at ACC and SEC schools that their road trips that weekend had been canceled."
 
"We knew there was a phone call at 3:30 to decide whether or not we'd be playing our weekend's games. I still thought we would finish out conference play," fellow senior Caitlin Ray said. "We saw on NCAA's Twitter that all spring sport championships had been canceled. Coach Roger [Kincaid] called a team meeting for 4:30 or 5, and that's when we got the news that not only would we be staying home for the weekend, but in fact the whole season was done."
 
Caitlin was in her redshirt junior season on the field but had found out earlier on March 12 that she had been accepted into Georgia State's Communication and Science Disorders graduate program.
 
"It was hard to stay positive. A day that was supposed to be one of the happiest days getting into grad school turned into one of my worst days."
 
Senior Mallory Parson is graduating in May with a B.B.A. in Finance.
 
"Softball has been the biggest part of my life for 16 years. I was heartbroken," Mallory said. "I went home after we got the news and it slowly started to sink in. I was thankful to my parents during that unusual time, but I felt like I should have been on a bus or in a uniform or eating with my teammates. It was an off feeling."
 
"I am not entirely sure what my plan is moving forward. I'm applying to graduate school at GSU. I'd like to stay in sports, even more so now, and work to help the next generation of athletes."
 
Senior Emily Soles had a unique perspective on the situation. Emily played her first three seasons at Georgia State before transferring last year. This spring Emily returned to GSU and rejoined the Panthers.
 
"Our Opening Day was Feb. 7^th. On Feb. 5^th I was told that I wouldn't be granted eligibility to play this season by the NCAA. My softball world was rocked, " Emily remembers. "Watching the bus leave on Feb. 6^th without me was something I'll never forget. I tried to smile and stay strong for my teammates but I was hurting inside."
 
Emily bravely settled into her role on the team through the first month of the season, encouraging her teammates during games and participating in practice.
 
"I struggled with not being able to compete with my teammates on game day, but I was adjusting and had shifted my mindset into that role. When Coach Roger told us the season was canceled my heart was hurting for my teammates but especially for my senior teammates. I had watched them play their last game ever on Wednesday."
 
"Some people tell us that it is just a game, and it is. But it's a game that we seniors have been playing for over 10 years. We learned how to compete, overcome adversity, support teammates, listen, learn, and to be accountable for our actions. Softball taught us discipline and structure and helped us become strong and independent women."
 
Mallory says her biggest takeaway is to live in the moment.
 
"As unfortunate as this situation is for us seniors, we realize there are people out there in worse situations. I am thankful for the time I got to play the game that I love. I'm thankful for the life lessons that softball taught me. I am thankful that God is keeping my friends and family safe during this time. I'm am choosing to not focus on it being over, but glad that I got the time that I did," Mallory said.
 
Caitlin is focusing on keeping a routine to stay positive. Between running and hitting in the cages, she's finding ways to take her mind off the end of the season.
 
"Being around my mom and my dad has helped a lot too," Caitlin noted. "They are my biggest supporters and provide a great sense of comfort."
 
As far as what she's going to do moving forward?
 
"I have to get surgery this summer to repair my shoulder but I'm going to keep hitting until I fully accept that I'm done. Hitting has always been my go-to. I'm excited to start grad school in the fall and I plan to help coach my sister's AAU softball team with my dad."
 
"On the softball team we all pick three words as our personal motto for the season. My redshirt freshman year my three words were 'Play With Passion'. I think that's fitting given the circumstances. Never take a single pitch for granted, play every pitch with passion. You never know when your last game will be."
 
Baylee's three words were 'Thoughts Become Things'.
 
"I lost my dad to ALS when I was 16 after a three-year battle. I spent as much time with him as I could, and he asked me to make him a vision board. He couldn't talk but that wasn't an issue. He would spell things or lift his eyebrows in a way that I could read his mind. One day, he kept saying 'Thoughts Become Things'. I was thrown off by this but I added it to his vision board."
 
"Seeing those words on his vision board piqued my interest and over time I grew my own understanding of what he meant. Our mind is so much stronger than most of us know. I live by those three words now and I just keep telling myself that this isn't the end of my softball career."
 
Emily says she wants people to never take anything for granted.
 
"I will be forever appreciative to Georgia State University and Coach Roger for allowing me to come back and be a part of team again", Emily said. "It gave me the chance to close one chapter and now another will be opening soon."
 
"My takeaway from all this is to never take anything for granted. Overcoming this will guide me on my next journey in life. Life will punch you in the mouth sometimes, but how you respond to it and move forward is what defines you."

Senior Sydney Stavro shared a letter with the GSU family about her feelings towards her career being cut short. Check out "Dear Softball: Thank You" by Sydney Stavro.