ORONO, Maine — Holding a towel on a gash over her right eye, Colleen Kilmurray walked out of Alfond Arena on her way to Cutler Health Center.
She was whistled for a foul on a collision with an opponent and had blood oozing from the eyelid. Fans assumed the University of Maine women’s basketball team would be shorthanded the rest of the night.
Kilmurray returned in the second half after receiving six stitches and helped her team beat New Hampshire on Feb. 12. The scenario speaks to the commitment and competitiveness of the senior, who will be honored prior to Saturday’s 7 p.m. “Senior Night” game against Stony Brook at Alfond.
“It really does kind of sum up the player she’s been for us,” said UMaine head coach Cindy Blodgett. “She brings that certain level of toughness to the court. I think her teammates feed off that and feel even more comfortable on the court.”
Kilmurray is nearing the end of a challenging four-year career with the Bears. She was recruited by former coach Sharon Versyp, who departed prior to her arrival.
Kilmurray competed for two seasons under Ann McInerney, who also left. She played sparingly on those teams before starting all 30 games last season, averaging a team-high 9.1 points, and 5.0 rebounds.
This winter, she has shared her minutes with the Bears’ younger players. Kilmurray has surged of late, averaging 10 points and seven rebounds over the last 10 games.
“She’s playing in such a spirited way with a great deal of emotion,” Blodgett said. “As a coach you hope that some of the other players adopt that kind of mentality.”
Kilmurray admits it has been disappointing going through four losing seasons. Even so, she and the Bears haven’t lost their resolve.
“As a competitor, it’s very tough to lose, but we continually come in and try to work hard because we know we can do better,” she said. “The fact that we haven’t given up this year with four wins … I respect my teammates and my coaches for not doing that, because I don’t have a next year.”
Kilmurray, a 6-foot forward from Wall, N.J., can fill different roles. She is a strong, physical presence inside, but also can shoot the 3-pointer. She has a knack for getting to the foul line and is shooting 81 percent in America East play.
“The last 12 or 13 games, I think she’s done a nice job of recognizing where her matchup is going to be most beneficial for her and, ultimately, for the team,” Blodgett said.
Where Kilmurray most often makes her presence felt is on the defensive end. She is a physical player (her 85 fouls rank second on the team) who doesn’t back down.
One of her talents is drawing player-control fouls.
“I love taking charges,” said Kilmurray, who now sports a scar on her right eyelid. “Nothing feels better than seeing you’re helping your teammates out and having them all run over to help you up.”
Taking a charge requires not only anticipation, but the courage to absorb a hit and the subsequent fall to the floor.
“Few players want to throw their body in front of someone who’s going full force trying to make a play at the rim and Colleen has done it consistently for us,” Blodgett said. “It’s a huge momentum change for your team when you can draw a charge on your opponent.”
Kilmurray learned the value of hard work and responsibility from her parents, Bob and Nancy Kilmurray.
“We had to do chores around the house to get an allowance,” said Kilmurray, the second of four children. “Hard work pays off and I was taught that at a young age and I thank my parents for that.”
Bob Kilmurray, a retired New Jersey State Police officer who played football at the University of Connecticut, also played an important role in Colleen’s development as a basketball player as her coach.
She credits her versatility on the court to her dad, who didn’t label her strictly as a center because she was tall.
“My dad’s a competitor, but he knew in [when I was in] third grade it was not about wins and loses, it’s about developing kids into basketball players,” Kilmurray said. “He had everyone on the team in a rotation. Everyone got a chance to be the point guard. I think it definitely helped me with my game.”
Perhaps Kilmurray’s most profound legacy to the UMaine program will be her leadership and fight in the face of adversity. Her commitment has never faltered.
“To have our lone senior to continue to lay it out on the line every single day,” Blodgett said, “she’s teaching our younger players how hard you need to practice, day in and day out, regardless of wins and losses and that’s such a valuable piece to our team growing.”
Kilmurray is excited about her future. She would like to have an opportunity to play professionally in Europe.
Once her basketball career is over, she will head back to the classroom as a high school history teacher and coach.
“Ever since we were little, every trip we went on, [my father] would make it historical,” Kilmurray said. “I really enjoy working with kids and having an impact on their lives.”
Now, Kilmurray’s focus is on helping UMaine finish strong this season. She is optimistic about the progress the team has shown in recent weeks.
“I think this year we’ve definitely grown a lot as a team and we are continuing to grow,” Kilmurray said. “We’re starting to realize how good of a team we can be.”
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