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Originally published October 21, 2008 at 01:37p.m., updated October 22, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

KU women’s basketball point guard Goodrich out for season

Highly touted freshman tore ACL in practice

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The Kansas women's basketball team is hurting. On Tuesday, it was announced that freshman phenom Angel Goodrich will miss the entire 2008-09 season.

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KU women's basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson

Close loss or embarrassing blowout, Kansas University women's basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson always takes the podium afterward, poised and confident, and tells it like it is.

It was a visibly shaken Henrickson who followed KU football coach Mark Mangino to the podium to address the media with sad news Tuesday about the highest-rated recruit Henrickson has brought to Kansas.

"After having been excited about Late Night for about 48 hours, one hour into practice on Sunday, Angel Goodrich tore her ACL, so we are without her services," Henrickson said. "She'll have surgery next week. She'll redshirt and will be a redshirt freshman for us next year."

The injury occurred to Goodrich's left knee while she was executing a cross-over dribble in practice, according to her coach.

Goodrich, a 5-foot-4 point guard from Tahlequah, Okla., turned down a scholarship offer from Oklahoma to come to Kansas as Henrickson's most heralded recruit because she said she wanted to go to a place where she could play a big part in turning around a program.

Goodrich showed during a Late Night intrasquad scrimmage why there has been such a fuss over her game with a quick drive to the hoop for one bucket and a running shot from the right wing for another and a general comfort with running a team stocked with veterans.

At women's basketball Media Day, the addition of Goodrich became the central topic of conversation, which didn't seem to bother the returning players who expressed excitement at what she could do for the team.

"At Media Day, I said I wouldn't hide my excitement for what I thought she could do for our program and I'm not going to try to hide my disappointment for her personally and how difficult that is," Henrickson said. "And obviously in our program we're disappointed for her, but we've got returning players who are better and we'll regroup and refocus and commit to not changing our goals. For some it's an opportunity, a door that opened and for others it's having to be asked to do a little bit more and our kids are ready to do that."

Senior Ivana Catic and junior LaChelda Jacobs will split time at point guard for the Jayhawks.

Henrickson said that Goodrich became the third Big 12 point guard this school year to suffer a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament, the others being from Texas A&M and Colorado.

"Unfortunately, it's an epidemic in women's basketball," said Henrickson, who praised the abilities of Dr. Jeff Randall, the same orthopedist who performed Brandon Rush's ACL surgery.

ACL injuries reportedly are up to eight times more common in college basketball for women than men.

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Comments

justanotherfan (anonymous) says...

The KU women can't catch a break.

October 21, 2008 at 1:59 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

HowMuchRice (anonymous) says...

God that's awful news.

October 21, 2008 at 2:06 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

LakeShawnee (anonymous) says...

Wow. Terrible news for her and for the women's program. She was one of the stars for them at Late Night. My condolences to her and I wish her a quick and healthy recovery. I'm sure the Bonnie bashers will conveniently forget this injury as the year progresses.

October 21, 2008 at 2:12 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

crooner (anonymous) says...

That's terrible. Get well soon, Angel.Time for Catic to really step it up.

October 21, 2008 at 2:12 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Jaminrawk (anonymous) says...

Wow, that sucks. KU women's B-Ball is cursed.

October 21, 2008 at 2:18 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

joedavis (anonymous) says...

"[The team is] upset," said coach Bonne Henrickson. "They were pretty excited for what she could do for us. It didn't take them long for them to say 'we can get it done, we're confident in each other and that they we are better than last year.' It's not a very fun part of coaching to watch her go through it." "I'm not going to try to hide my disappointment for her personally and how difficult that is. Obviously in this program, we're disappointed for her. We'll regroup and refocus."

October 21, 2008 at 2:23 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

sevenyearhawk (anonymous) says...

FRACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I'm starting to wonder who the hell cursed the women's team ...

October 21, 2008 at 2:24 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

rel76 (anonymous) says...

DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

October 21, 2008 at 2:50 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

rgreene (Ryan Greene) says...

Another year with no real point guard = RUH ROH!

October 21, 2008 at 3:10 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

hutchjayhawk (anonymous) says...

Better this than the men's team.

October 21, 2008 at 3:35 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

rgreene (Ryan Greene) says...

Wow, hutch, way to be a Jayhawk fan.

October 21, 2008 at 3:45 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

plasticJHawk (anonymous) says...

and besides, the men's team has 3 or 4 point guards who are capable of playing. If Tyshawn goes down, Tyrone and Tyrel will pick up the slack.

October 21, 2008 at 3:50 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

CMKUbLu304 (anonymous) says...

damn! that's not even cool. From glimpses I've seen she looked promising. One day we'll have a good women's team! It seems like they have the worst of luck.plastic: you forgot Sherron Collins. He's our #1 pg. he might get shifted over to SG later in the season if one of the others proves they can take on the starting PG role (since he's a scorer) but until then its sherron's position.

October 21, 2008 at 4:08 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

CaramelMacchMan (anonymous) says...

If Tyshawn goes down for real now, I blame plasticJHawk....

October 21, 2008 at 4:08 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

plasticJHawk (anonymous) says...

I didn't actually forget about Sherron, I was going to use him in place of Tyshawn, but for one... see Caramel's above post, and for two... Sherron's name doesn't start with Ty...But this is true... I should probably shake the evil spirit stick over my head immediately to drive out any spirits that may be reading this blog.

October 21, 2008 at 4:12 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

plasticJHawk (anonymous) says...

Sherron ought to be playing 30+ minutes a game no matter who's healthy or hurt

October 21, 2008 at 4:14 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

cshjhawk (anonymous) says...

God bless her

October 21, 2008 at 5 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

actorman (anonymous) says...

Shame on you hutch, what an incredibly insensitive and un-Jayhawk-like thing to say.What an horrible break for the women's team. That is really sad. The only potentially good thing to come out of it is that she'll be one year older when she starts her Jayhawk career, so that will give her a better chance to excel as she matures.

October 21, 2008 at 7:46 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

KUHawkhead (anonymous) says...

That's terrible news. Here's to hoping that the other gals can step it up, progress the program, and hope her rehab goes well!rcjhku! real fans root for ALL KU teams!

October 21, 2008 at 9:02 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Strikewso (anonymous) says...

Damn, tough break. Get well soon, there's always next year and the three after that.

October 21, 2008 at 9:30 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

lance1jhawk (anonymous) says...

DAMN!

October 21, 2008 at 9:49 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

truefan (anonymous) says...

Man that was a huge hit four the women. The good news is we still have some great returning players and Goodrich can get a redshirt year. I just hope she keeps her head up and her leg strong for next season.

October 21, 2008 at 10:07 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Mr_Sandman (anonymous) says...

This is too bad for the women's team, this girl sounds like she could have been a game changer. This team needs something to go its way and with Angel's arrival it looked like it was going to. Hopefully Bonnie can recruit good players going forward and Angel comes back well from the injury. It is always nice to see as many teams as possible at KU having success.

October 21, 2008 at 10:23 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

KGphoto (anonymous) says...

Does that make this a redshirt year? Just trying to be positive.Goodrich, judging by the response here, you've obviously had an impact even before playing a meaningful minute as a Jayhawk. Hang in there. This will be an invaluable year of experience. Take advantage.

October 22, 2008 at 12:45 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

FlaHawk (anonymous) says...

Do you think Coach Washington knew the team was cursed before she lost interest?This is an example of poor recruiting. Not Angel Goodrich, but the total lack of depth. Catic has not improved since Frosh year. Jacobs is not the answer either. Almost evey year they brag about "he point guard" ... remmebr Kelly Kohn?Basically we have the same team as last year minus a few Seniors that started forever and did not show much and got worse as their career progress. THis is a real problem under COach Bonnie ... o one get any better with experience. ... WTF?Coach Bonnie is going to have to improve talent with coaching skill or another 4-12 Big XII season will be produced.Bad break, but this is the nature of WBB. It happens to others and they find a way to win. Get with it KU WBB, show us what you can do!Go Hawks!

October 22, 2008 at 9:06 a.m. ( | suggest removal )