One of the best Division III programs in the country, the Washington University in St Louis men's basketball team went 25-5 last season and advanced to the national semifinals. Troy Ruths led the Bears with 19.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game as a junior, and as he gears up for his final go-around in a college uniform, Troy has decided to join us on the Double-A Zone.

Right now I'm about at sunset, with one glorious last spectacle before I fizzle into the post-athletic abyss we like to call "the rest of our lives." Well, at least I hope it's glorious. There are a ton of seniors, no doubt, entering their last season with the same anticipation with which I charge into mine. I'm sure they all want their senior season to be legendary, but only a few will actually achieve a championship berth. The pressure to perform as a senior surely comes down to the fact that it is the ultimate season - there isn't a subsequent year to make up for last year's failures or to build on last year's achievements. This is it.

During a basketball game there is a period when opposites exist, and each of these opposites counteract each other, for instance a steal and a turnover, or letting your defender score and scoring yourself. However, once there are about five minutes left in a close game, opposites no longer apply. There isn't enough time to rely on opposites to mediate the game - each action in the last minutes has a resounding effect on the outcome. It's the same with a senior year. Opposites no longer apply. There are no more re-dos. This is it.

I guess this leads in well to why I like DIII sports. There still exists a strong sense of competition, but how much or how little you achieve largely depends on what you're willing to put in. Since there are lots of rules tying the coaches' hands especially in the off-season, it's up to the player to choose how much they want to improve. This means that the personal and also team goals for my senior season are largely set by myself, which takes pressure off since I am the one setting the expectations. Don't get me wrong - the coaches definitely have their own expectations, but in the end I am the one responsible for my preparation and therefore performance.

Division III also caters more to the student in the student-athlete. This means that the aforementioned "rest of our lives" won't be the abyss it is feared to be. In fact, with more time developing the degree and education, I'm going to be far better off in my job than I ever was as an athlete.

So to all those seniors out there - we've got one good one left. Let's make the most of it.