Martell hangs up her jersey and looks ahead

For the past 15 years, senior Tori Martell has invested her time in basketball. As her graduation nears, the Exponent had the opportunity to speak to Martell as she finishes up her time at MSU. At the start of the season, the question lingered — will there even be games? For Martell and her teammates, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the team more than just physically. “Throughout the fall, we were in and out of quarantine as a team,” she said.  “I spent 42 days in quarantine which meant I couldn’t train at all besides at my house.” With the team constantly in quarantine heading into the start of the season, it was hard to prepare for what was ahead. “I know there were times when everyone was so beyond frustrated with everything happening that it felt like it was never going to get better,” Martell said.

The season went pretty smoothly for the women’s basketball team despite the concerns brought on by the pandemic. Beating Montana twice was just one major accomplishment Martell was able to celebrate this year with her team. Martel also had the opportunity to participate in a national collegiate three-point championship, the 2021 State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championship, where she competed against the best shooters in the nation. “This last week has been so much fun, just getting invited to the three-point championship was such an honor. Being able to represent Montana State on ESPN and win it was an insane feeling and I still can’t believe that it all happened,” she mentioned in regard to her sensational win. Even after discussing her accomplishments, Martell’s mind was still focusing on her teammates, demonstrating her love and compassion for the sport and her team. “I just hope next year, especially for the six freshmen who didn’t get to experience the love of our fans, can have that aspect of being a Bobcat women’s basketball player back,” she said.

Martell then went on to explain what being a part of MSU has meant to her over the past four years. “Being able to wear Blue and Gold has been such a blessing and I will leave this university with so much more than I came with,” she said. She gave special shoutouts to her family, friends, coaches, professors and her teammates, as she thanked them for their never-ending support. “This place has taught me how to be a caring teammate, how to lead and be led, how to adapt and grow through any situation, and how to live for God,” Martell said. As much as she is sad to be ending her 15-year basketball career, Martell is excited to start her journey in the nursing field. Her plan after graduation is to head home to Minneapolis and work in a NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit). Regardless of where she ends up in the nursing field, Martell hopes she may end up back in school one day to become a midwife or a nurse practitioner.

To close out Martell’s interview she was prompted to share a closing statement on her time at MSU. “I would like to say thank you to everyone who has supported me and walked through this journey with me these last four years at Montana State. I have grown so much as a person, especially in my faith and walk with God. This place has shaped me into the person I am and I could not be more grateful for the experiences I have had at MSU.”

Thank you for everything you have done for the women’s basketball team and for MSU, Tori, and good luck in your future endeavors.