The Daily Campus

Issue date: 5/6/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Ryan Sayers Krista Michalczyk will give nursing a try after a successful softball career at UConn.

It's senior day at the UConn Softball Field.

The sun beams down on the Huskies for one of the first times this season as a cool, crisp breeze blows in from the east; it's ideal softball conditions. The type of weather wedding and birthday party-goers dream of, perfect for a celebration.

As her name is called over the loud speaker, pitcher Krista Michalczyk trots out onto the diamond. Hoots and hollers from her teammates in the bench area and the packed crowd in the bleachers ring in the background. Michalczyk accepts a bouquet of flowers and a gift bag, crouches down next to her fellow seniors for a quick photo-op and her parents stand behind her, beaming with pride.

A big grin crawls across her face. A 500-watt smile that could light up the field - if it wasn't already so bright - with teeth so pearly white you'd think she was pulled straight out of a Crest commercial.

But as the photographer finishes rattling off a few pictures, that trademark smile of hers suddenly vanishes.

On what's supposed to be a joyous occasion, a celebration of four years of blood, sweat and tears, Michalczyk isn't so happy.

Today wasn't supposed to happen just yet. Today came too early.

One day toward the end of her freshman year, Michalczyk and her teammates went for a run around campus. Nothing too stressful, just the type of simple jog you see students do nearly every day.

But as the pack made a cut toward where the new Pharmacy building was being built on Fairfield Way, the unthinkable happened.

"We were running around the campus just to stay in shape," Michalczyk said. "We were cutting through and I ended up twisting my ankle really bad in a pot hole. You know, pop, snap, all over the place."

But no matter how severe the injury looked, she wasn't going to let it keep her down. She convinced herself that it wasn't as bad as it seemed and attempted to play the rest of the season and fall ball in the intense pain. But after about six months, it became too much.

The prognosis was just as painful. Doctors told the pitcher she had partially torn three ligaments and tore another completely. They gave her only two options: complete reconstruction surgery or a scoping. With reconstruction requiring months on the shelf, she chose the latter.

Continued...

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