sports

Borton can’t talk about commitments but says the future is “absolutely” promising.

“We’ve got our entire starting five returning next year, plus [Zahui], who has been able to get familiar with our system,” she said. “You look at the Big Ten and the hits other programs are going to take losing this year’s seniors, and I think a lot of programs are losing a lot.”

But for now, Borton and her players are happy to focus on the present and the possibility that an NCAA bid is still within reach.

Borton said this team “has a lot of life, a lot of energy left,” as opposed to “a lot of teams I’ve coached that this time of year have been like, they’re exhausted, they’re tired,” she said. “[With those teams] it was almost a drag coming to practice. You’re trying to find the emotional and mental energy to get through the rest of the season. I don’t feel like this team has really hit that wall at all.”

And so, Loberg, the Minnesota kid with those childhood dreams, still hopes for a happy ending.

“I can see it happening,” she said of gaining that coveted NCAA bid. “This team has so much potential.”