MONMOUTH, Ore. – When we last saw Shariah Green and the rest of the Western Oregon University women's basketball team, it would turn out to be the final game for everyone over the past year-plus.

Green capped her career in style helping lead the Wolves to a dominating 89-52 victory over Alaska Fairbanks to conclude the 2019-20 season. Green tallied 17 points, pulled down five rebounds and added a pair of blocks and assists.

Once the season ended, Green stayed busy shifting into working on a master's degree and moving forward with her career. With all that going on, basketball has remained in the picture, just in a different way.

"I've spent the last year keeping very busy. After graduating, I began a master's program at Portland State University studying computer science with a concentration in artificial intelligence and machine learning. I had the opportunity to do some independent contracting work as a web developer for some small and nonprofit businesses in the Portland area over the last year," Green said. "Currently, I'm working in a six-month internship at Intel getting the chance to help integrate machine learning processes into NIC validation and recently, my basketball career has come full-circle as I got the chance to step into the role of varsity girls' basketball assistant coach as Hillsboro High School this past spring."

Last year was a tough time to be trying to transition into a career. Once graduation came and went, Green noticed the difficulties of locating a position was much more challenging.

"Trying to enter the workforce when the pandemic started was difficult. A lot of jobs in my field stopped hiring, so adjusting to the pandemic also included modifying my expectations about starting my career at such an unpredictable time," Green said. "I found myself in tech jobs that I wouldn't necessarily have sought out for myself, but learned so much about my aspirations and what I wanted to achieve in my career. Ultimately, my journey was a little different because I had already chosen to continue my education. Although I was facing a tough job market, I was still in school and had plenty of time to figure it out. Many of my biggest adjustments were centered around remote education and navigating a new school virtually."

Green played in 27 games that included 26 starts during her senior season. She averaged 10.6 points and 4.7 rebounds, leading the team in rebounding and was second in scoring. She also had one of the top field goal percentages on the team connecting on 45.8 percent and even made 19 three-pointers. Moving along to a new school and everything going on with last year, Green has tried her best to still follow and keep in touch with everyone from WOU.

"As a student at a new school, it's not as easy to keep up with everything and everyone anymore, but I've really tried to keep up-to-date with WOU athletics via social media and I have kept in contact with many friends, classmates, and professors at WOU."

While it's hard to imagine that Green's final game on Feb. 29, 2020 would not only be her final game, but the last game played for the WOU women's basketball team, the reality that a year has already gone by still takes some time to sink in.

"I honestly can't believe it's been a year since I graduated, it feels like this past year has flown by," Green said. "One thing that I've enjoyed most about being graduated is having so much quality time to spend with my friends and family and to focus on my growth. I've been able to book spontaneous (COVID-safe) trips, go road tripping, volunteer, and really just spend time doing things that I love. Even in the context of school, I've had so much more time to pursue the topics and areas that I'm passionate about."

Green, originally from Hillsboro, arrived at WOU during the 2018-19 season after playing her first two collegiate seasons at Occidental College.