MIAC athletes came together with Special Olympics players as one unified basketball team for a day filled with competitiveness, teamwork and smiles on Sunday, April 10.

Matt Higgins, assistant executive director of the MIAC, and Special Olympics organizers created the event to celebrate Division III Week in a memorable way.

“Hopefully, it’s just a start for many other events like this,” Higgins said.

The double-elimination basketball tournament involved 50 student-athletes from Augsburg, Hamline, Macalester, St. Thomas, St. Catherine and Carleton. A total of 50 Special Olympics athletes played in the tournament as well.

St. Thomas hockey player and junior Thomas Williams said that for him, the tournament is about bringing joy.

“I really enjoy building relationships with them and getting to know them. It’s more about that than it is playing,” Williams said.

Although the St. Thomas unified team did not win any of its games, Higgins said the athletes involved were passionate about helping out with the tournament.

“To see them want to continue working with that group and be involved in different ways has been really inspiring,” Higgins said.

Seniors Erin Dingmann and Kelly Bierman are members of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee who worked with Higgins in organizing the St. Thomas volunteers.

“Everyone is excited about it. It’s still competitive, but it’s really just fun for everyone,” Dingmann said.

Bierman hopes events like this help change the way those with disabilities are viewed.

“I hope that people get a better understanding for disabled people, in that they can still be involved in things like this and have fun,” Bierman said. “I also hope that athletes have more respect just for the love of playing the game.”

Higgins hopes to start an annual unified basketball tournament during Division III Week and is looking for other sports in which they can mirror the unified-game idea.

“This is just the jumping-off point,” Higgins said.

Marissa Groechel can be reached at groe5630@stthomas.edu.