Chelsey Albrecht stood near a corner of the Strode Center court, chatting idly with other Presentation College coaches, athletes, alumni and others who ventured by.

“It’s hard to leave,” Albrecht said.

She wasn’t alone in that sentiment. Long after the final buzzer sounded Thursday night, signaling not just the end of a basketball game, but the end of an era, people in green t-shirts that read “One. Last. Dance.” milled about, some shooting baskets, others talking in fluid groups. None, it seemed, were in a hurry to leave.

At some point, the lights will dim and the doors will lock and the people will move, albeit slowly, back to their residences, and the Strode Center will go dark one last time. 

“It’s very weird,” said Albrecht, who has spent nearly the entirety of her coaching career at the helm of the Saints’ volleyball program. “I don’t necessarily feel like it’s real yet. We were able to go through our entire season, and thought there was going to be a next one.”

Again, Albrecht wasn’t alone. After Presentation officials announced earlier this year that the institution will close at the end of the 2022-23 academic year, making these the final seasons – and games – in Saints history, Thursday’s men’s and women’s basketball games against Mayville State took on added weight.

“The emotions going into the night were pretty high,” said Presentation senior women’s basketball player Nek Newell. “We all knew what the game meant. It’s the last one ever played at the Strode. We all wanted a different outcome, obviously, but just going in, we didn’t have anything to lose.”

Presentation ended up dropping the contest by a final score of 91-45, which, from a competitive standpoint, stung. But different emotions carried the day.

“It’s challenging,” said Presentation women’s coach Carly Jeffrey. “You know at some point, you’re always going to have a last home game, but to have it take on the gravity of the last ever home game is something I have never been around. So in terms of preparing for that, it’s tough. You want to balance how important it is, not just to us, but to all the people who came before us. All the alumni out there and fans who have followed for a long time. We just tried to preach to them that it’s about so much more than us.”

And yes, the loss was frustrating for Newell, but she doesn’t see her time spent in a Saints uniform as a waste.

“I’m content to be playing at PC,” Newell said. “I’ve learned a lot throughout the journey. Off the court and on court. I’ve grown overall as a player and as a person. I had to get used to some things I wasn’t used to – being vocal; I’m not a vocal person, ever, so having to step outside my comfort zone and lead a team was something that was new. But I’m sure if I had gone somewhere else, I wouldn’t have got the same experience.”

Head men’s coach Trevor Flemmer also felt the gravity of the night in a unique way. Flemmer was a former player for the Saints, and returned to the Strode Center this season as the head coach.

“The best way to explain it is it’s bittersweet,” Flemmer said. “Things are closing, and it’s all ending here, unfortunately, but I’m honored that I get to be that guy that’s able to coach the final game here at the Strode.”

The men’s game ended in a 77-70 loss for the Saints, who led 34-16 at one point early in the game before the momentum switched.

“I thought our guys did a heck of a job representing not just us, but everyone who’s ever been a Saint,” Flemmer said. 

The final games were played in front of what was essentially a standing-room-only crowd. The Strode Center has fixed seating for roughly 1,200 people and nearly every one was filled.

“It means more than I can put into words,” Flemmer said of the crowd. “It shows what PC has done in the Aberdeen community and the community supporting PC and the relationship they had for 70-some years.”

The future is unclear for many of the Saints’ coaching staff. There are decisions to be made, both on a personal and professional level. But those decisions will have to wait. For now, there are memories to cherish.

“To me, it just doesn’t feel real,” Albrecht said. “I don’t know when it will. But I hold on to the great memories.”