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Kansas forward Danielle McCray goes up for a layup prior to tipoff against Illinois State, Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at Allen Fieldhouse.
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McCray out for season
Danielle McCray will not play another game during this year's basketball season. The senior torn her ACL during practice.
Great career
Danielle McCray’s career came to a premature end, but she still ranked near the top in school history in several stats:
• Points: 1,934 (4th)
• Threes made: 205 (2nd)
• Threes attempted: 544 (2nd)
• 3-pt. percentage: 37.7 (3rd)
• Field goals made: 710 (4th)
• FT percentage: 78.8 (4th)
Danielle McCray seemed almost bulletproof. Every time Kansas University’s All-Big 12 basketball player went down with an apparently serious injury, she always bounced back.
Not this time. The 5-foot-11 senior suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee during Thursday’s practice, and the college career of one of KU’s most talented athletes is over.
“It stinks for her, and it stinks for us,” KU coach Bonnie Henrickson said. “But we can’t feel sorry for ourselves. It will do no good.”
McCray went down early in the workout while performing a routine drill.
“It’s a drill we do every day,” Henrickson said. “It was something she said she had done a thousand times. There was no contact.”
Not everyone saw it happen, but they all knew right away something was amiss when they heard McCray scream.
“She’s a very strong person,” teammate Monica Engelman said, “and to hear her in pain like that was overwhelming. I was amazed and shocked it could happen to her.”
Engelman, a 5-11 freshman from San Antonio, will take McCray’s place in the starting lineup.
“I have some big shoes to fill and I need to step up,” Engelman said. “I never expected this to happen, so I need to be ready.”
Henrickson is confident Engelman can fill in capably.
“She has to grow up in a hurry,” the KU coach said.
At the same time, Henrickson realizes McCray was the Big 12’s second-leading scorer at 19.8 points a game as well as the Jayhawks’ second-leading rebounder.
“Monica just has to be who she’s been,” Henrickson said. “It’s not time to reinvent the wheel. We can’t do that.”
McCray becomes the second KU starter to suffer a season-ending ACL tear. Less than a month ago, point guard Angel Goodrich went down late in the Oklahoma State game. Henrickson is also red-shirting freshman Tania Jackson this season because of complications of a torn ACL suffered prior to her senior year at Lawrence High.
McCray seemed a lock to surpass the 2,000-point plateau, but she finishes with 1,934 points to rank fourth on the school’s scoring chart behind Lynette Woodard, Adrian Mitchell and Angela Aycock.
The Olathe East High product also ranks in the Top 10 in nine other school categories, including second in three-point goals and third in three-point field goal percentage.
After a solid, but unspectacular first two years on Mount Oread, McCray exploded on the Big 12 scene last season, earning first-team all-league honors and almost single-handedly fueling the Jayhawks’ stirring run to the WNIT championship game.
Last summer, she was one of a dozen players selected for the USA Basketball’s World University Games team that won the gold medal in Belgrade, Serbia.
So impressive was McCray’s junior year that she was tapped last October as the Big 12’s preseason player of the year by conference coaches.
Now the Jayhawks will have to finish the season without her.
“It’s a bummer and it sucks,” teammate Sade Morris said, “but we have a game Sunday and we can’t let it affect us.”
Kansas will meet Kansas State at 1 p.m. Sunday in Allen Fieldhouse in its annual Pink Zone game to heighten awareness of breast cancer.
McCray sent word Friday she preferred to delay discussing the injury with the media, but Henrickson stressed McCray wasn’t distraught and was “taking it well.”
The Overdrive for September 5 September 5, 2010
Turner Gill postgame: NDSU September 5, 2010
Highlights: KU vs. NDSU September 5, 2010
Parking for football game will be limited September 3, 2010
Turner Gill era about to begin September 3, 2010
Comments
Topcitykid10 (anonymous) says…
Wow that is terrible news for this team. This season looked like this team could make it into the big dance.
oldalum (anonymous) says…
What a disaster. I'm so sorry for this great athlete who has done so much for our team.
number1jayhawker (anonymous) says…
Looks like bad luck happens to good people sometimes. Good luck on your recovery Danielle.
HowMuchRice (anonymous) says…
This team is cursed. Terrible news.
chuckberry32 (anonymous) says…
thanks for all you've done for the team Danielle. I wish you a speedy recovery.
supermario15 (anonymous) says…
Terrible news.Speedy Recovery Danielle
Code_2008 (anonymous) says…
Wow...
That's all I have to say... how do these girls keep getting these injuries? This is the 3rd one in 2 seasons... something's not right here.
It was a fun season girls... let's hope the rest of the team can pull together and win on Sunday for everybody. This is just terrible news...
fan408785 (anonymous) says…
That's horrible. Thank you for your GREAT Career! Danielle, I hope your recovery is speedy. Good luck and best wishes for you and your family throughout the rest of your life.
b_asinbeer (anonymous) says…
Oh my...very depressing news for her and the women's team. Thanks for the wonderful years at KU!
plasticJHawk (anonymous) says…
Oh, SNAP!
jayhawkinatl (anonymous) says…
Yep, terrible. Wish it wasn't too late for her to claim medical hardship. Heal up fast, Danielle!!!!
lovemyhawks (anonymous) says…
oh, wow, that makes me sick. my heart goes out to her AND the team...... this has been a tough year and such a sad ending to her career. i wish her the very best.... she has been a fun jayhawk to follow!
hawkinator (anonymous) says…
really sad to hear this
OakvilleJHawk (anonymous) says…
From this point on, knee supports on every set of legs.
This seems so unfair to a program that is truly beginning to dig itself out of a hole and establish national credibilty.
Angela has three more years...Danielle is done. This just sucks beyond words.
Get well both of you.
d_prowess (anonymous) says…
So what are the chances that Bonnie H. is back to coach this team next year? She has been given a lot of time to succeed.
Omegatron (anonymous) says…
"d_prowess (anonymous) says...
So what are the chances that Bonnie H. is back to coach this team next year? She has been given a lot of time to succeed."
The coach isn't going to get fired for circumstances beyond her control. And please have the common decency, and respect for others, and leave that kinda discussion for another time.
HowMuchRice (anonymous) says…
"So what are the chances that Bonnie H. is back to coach this team next year? She has been given a lot of time to succeed."
What does McCray's ACL injury have to do with Bonnie's job status?
hailtoku (anonymous) says…
HowMuchRice:
It's a blog, you can talk about whatever you want-
This team has not accomplished what some thought they were capable of- before the injury. Now with McCray gone, this is going to be another awful year for women's basketball.
It doesn't make sense. Look at all the top men's programs, and look at thos schools women's team. All of them dominate but Kansas. Duke, unc, uconn, Kentucky, all have great success in women's basketball. There is no exscuse for our women's team to not be in the top 15 every year.
AIRONA10 (anonymous) says…
Danielle: Thank you so much for all you have done for the team this year. Wish you the best and a speedy recovery. You are the best and always will be!
MinnesotaJay (anonymous) says…
Best of luck to you, Danielle, in your recovery. Wishing you the very best in your career, and thank you for your tremendous contribution to and representation of KU.
Also, the best to Angel as well.
KU1992 (anonymous) says…
Let's not forget miss. Jackson who is red shirting due to an ACL tear she had her senior year of high school she had not totally recovered from. I tore my ACL in 2008. It's a long road to recovery but we have excellent surgeons here in Lawrence, and i am sure she will be fine. good luck!
njjayhawk (anonymous) says…
hailtoku is correct...spot on. While very disheartening for Danielle, I do believe her being hurt and out of the balance of the season will save Bonnie's job for at least another season. Lew will not hold Bonnie accountable for winning with her two best players out. But next year is the year: Bonnie wins big or she's gone.
Omegatron (anonymous) says…
hailtoku (anonymous) says...
Now with McCray gone, this is going to be another awful year for women's basketball."
Had to check my calendar again to make sure I didn't sleep through winter.
This is still February. There are still alot of games left to be played. And although losing Angel and Danielle hurts, there are still girls on the roster making up a basketball "team".
Adversity can either bring a team together and make them stronger, or tear them apart.
Only time will tell.
CaramelMacchMan (anonymous) says…
Danielle
Thank you for a great memories at Kansas.
Hope for the best. Good luck with the recovery.
Jhawk59 (anonymous) says…
Who runs the WBB strength program?
Omegatron (anonymous) says…
"Jhawk59 (anonymous) says...
Who runs the WBB strength program? "
Why? Do you think strength training has anything to do with ACL injures?
" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anterior...
Causes
ACL injuries occur when an athlete rapidly decelerates, followed by a sharp or sudden change in direction (cutting). ACL failure has been linked to heavy or stiff-legged landing; as well as twisting or turning the knee while landing, especially when the knee is in the valgus (knock-knee) position.
Women in sports such as football (soccer), basketball, tennis and volleyball are significantly more prone to ACL injuries than men. The discrepancy has been attributed to differences between the sexes in anatomy, general muscular strength, reaction time of muscle contraction and coordination, and training techniques. A recent study suggests hormone-induced changes in muscle tension associated with menstrual cycles may also be an important factor [1]). Women have a relatively wider pelvis, requiring the femur to angle toward the knees[2].
The majority of ACL injuries occur in athletes landing flat on their heels. The latter directs the forces directly up the tibia into the knee, while the straight-knee position places the lateral femoral condyle on the back-slanted portion of the tibia. The resultant forward slide of the tibia relative to the femur is restrained primarily by the now-vulnerable ACL."
Omegatron (anonymous) says…
"Jhawk59 (anonymous) says...
Who runs the WBB strength program? "
Don't know if this is current. But it's the only thing I've found on the subject online. Hope someone else can post more recent information...
http://www.kuathletics.com/sports/m-b...
KGphoto (anonymous) says…
Devastating!
I have to say. I know the injuries are not a "direct" relation to the coach, but something about her just doesn't fit at Kansas. I wonder if the added pressure may have caused her to push too hard, and ultimately coach less effectively.
I'm not a Bonnie hater, but I think it's time. Lew is most capable of bringing in a winner. Someone who can recruit to the best basketball facility in the nation.
gb97 (anonymous) says…
With our best player lost for the year, I don't think talking about the future of BH is out of the question. I know injuries suck and a coach can't really do anything about them, but the fact is that many felt this year was the one where she either won big or was out.
And as for this season, we are only 3-4 in conference with 6 of our remaining 9 games against teams in the Top 25. It didn't seem to be shaping up to be a good year in conference and now it looks even worse! I don't know BH as a person and I am sure the team will keep fighting, but the facts are what they are.
Omegatron (anonymous) says…
"gb97 (anonymous) says...
With our best player lost for the year, I don't think talking about the future of BH is out of the question. I know injuries suck and a coach can't really do anything about them, but the fact is that many felt this year was the one where she either won big or was out.
And as for this season, we are only 3-4 in conference with 6 of our remaining 9 games against teams in the Top 25. It didn't seem to be shaping up to be a good year in conference and now it looks even worse! I don't know BH as a person and I am sure the team will keep fighting, but the facts are what they are."
You have me at a disadvantage. I don't know the coach as a person. The closest I've been to her is the upper section of Allen Fieldhouse. Might've seen her once in the hall...
I guess my problem is that I expected the conference to be this tough (because I heard about the talent and such in the off-season, how good teams where expected to be, etc..), and obviously set my expectations lower then the rest of "you".
I don't know...
My expectation where upper-to-middle of the conference regular season finish with a shot at a NCAA bid. A WNIT bid still being a step in the right direction considering the strength of the conference.
Anything above a cause for celebration, anything less a disappointment... plenty of basketball to be played that they can still obtain all of those goals...
kuwells (anonymous) says…
Terrible news. I hope for a speedy and full recovery.
peter56321 (anonymous) says…
Absolutely terrible news. McCray has been a class act for this program during her entire tenure with the University of Kansas. She will be terribly missed and I can't even imagine how awful it must be to end a career in such a manner. Best of luck to Danielle McCray in all her future endeavors.
sevenyearhawk (anonymous) says…
This absolutely stinks ...
when I heard about it, not only did I feel bad for Danielle, her teammates and Coach but I also couldn't help but wonder if her off season experience might not have worn her down and contributed to this - I certainly hope not.
A very sad day for her and the program, but her and they will endure and persevere ...
cshjhawk (anonymous) says…
I hope that she rehabs well and gets a shot at the pros!
Omegatron (anonymous) says…
Danielle will recover, make the Pros, and have a successful career at the next level. I just wish the (N)ational (C)ommunist (A)gainst (A)thletes would change their rules medical rules...
Rock_The_Chalk (anonymous) says…
wow. poor danielle. their season is over