gopherfan
Joined: 29 Dec 2004
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 Posted: 10/16/05 9:50 am ::: Gophers' first practice marred by injuries |
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BY RAY RICHARDSON
Pioneer Press
Early injuries are threatening the transition to women's college basketball for University of Minnesota freshmen Ashley Ellis-Milan and Katie Ohm.
Ellis-Milan injured her right knee five minutes into the Gophers' first practice Saturday morning at Williams Arena, and Ohm, Minnesota's all-time leading high school scorer, is wearing a boot cast to help treat a stress fracture in her left foot.
The injuries led Gophers coach Pam Borton to express concern about the team's other freshman, 5-foot-9 guard Emily Fox of Highlands Ranch, Colo.
"I might walk around campus with Emily, everywhere she goes, to make sure she doesn't get hurt,'' Borton said.
Ellis-Milan, a former St. Paul Central standout, will be re-evaluated today. The 6-2 forward was unable to practice after a fall in a non-contact drill. Ellis-Milan sat out the team's open scrimmage after practice.
Central coach Willie Taylor, who attended the scrimmage, said Ellis-Milan does not have a history of knee trouble.
Ohm, a 5-11 forward from Elgin-Millville, injured her foot during conditioning workouts last month and has been wearing a cast for several weeks.
Senior injuries: Borton said she will be cautious with practice time for seniors Shannon Schonrock and Shannon Bolden.
Schonrock spent much of the offseason rehabilitating from a strained tendon in her left foot, including wearing a boot cast for two months. Bolden had arthroscopic surgery on her left knee in April to repair a torn meniscus and experienced mild swelling during summer workouts.
Both players practiced and participated in the 20-minute open scrimmage.
New locker room: The team's new locker room and lounge areas were available for the first day of practice.
The facility, located on the lower level of Williams Arena, cost $950,000 and was named after athletics department donor Connie Bakken.
"It's a big step for us to have something like this, especially in terms of recruiting," Borton said. "We can show kids what we have when we're competing for players against schools like Connecticut, Tennessee, Texas and others."
Briefly: The Gophers will have a two-hour practice at 10 a.m. today. Wednesday will be the players' first off day.
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/sports/colleges/12918264.htm |
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