theTrinitonian
OPINION 6
PULSE 10
SPORTS 15
Serving Trinity University, San Antonio Since 1902
Vol. 113 Issue 5
September 18, 2015
Trinity University athletes face injuries across sports Students from various athletics suffer injuries resulting in benched sports seasons
U
BY SARAH PRICE
SPORTS REPORTER
niversity athletes, even at Trinity, face injuries across all sports from soccer and volleyball to softball and football. Injuries range from minor, like being out for only a couple days, to major, when an athlete is out for an entire season. Season-ending injuries are heartbreaking for the athlete and their team and can be very hard to come back from. Mattea Zeinstra, a first-year setter from California, is redshirting this season due to a past injury, but is still fully committed to the volleyball team. She injured herself during a high school match tearing her meniscus; consequently, she had to have surgery followed by a six month recovery. The only person that has seen her play is the head volleyball coach, Julie Jenkins, who has complete confidence that she will come back and make an impact on the team this spring and next fall. Mattea speaks on her injury and how it has affected her life: “This injury has made a huge impact on my life,” Zeinstra said. “Not being able to play the sport I love for six months is extremely difficult and has taught me how to be very patient with waiting.” Even though Mattea has not officially been announced as a Trinity volleyball athlete by the NCAA, she is still a huge part of the Trinity Volleyball team.
Shannon Courtney, a senior captain, said that “despite her injury, Mattea has brought a lot of enthusiasm to the team. She comes to practice every day with a positive attitude and is a great team player.” Mattea plans on waiting patiently to overcome her situation and coming out strong when the Tigers start their spring season. Since the fall sports have been underway, there have been multiple knee injuries. Additionally, two athletes have torn their ACLs. One of these tragic accidents happened to Nicole Gardini, a junior defender for the Trinity women’s soccer team. This was her second ACL tear, so Gardini understands the time and commitment it will take in order to come back from such a devastating injury. The injury happened during preseason while she was running down the sideline, catching her legs with another player and twisting her knee, ultimately tearing her ACL and meniscus. She will be out for six to eight months, while also taking a couple more months to reach her full potential. “My life has been turned upside down,” Gardini said. “All summer I had an image of how this fall semester and season would play out for me, and this was the last thing on my mind.” Gardini was looking forward to playing a crucial role on the field this year — filling a leadership position once held by senior defenders last season. Although she is unable to make a difference on the field, she is determined to still be a role model for the team. Gardini said, “Even now with my injury I am still fully involved as a supportive teammate and hopefully as a mentor to the underclassmen.”
SPORTS INJURIES FOOTBALL
466,000 INJURIES TREATED IN THE ER NATIONWIDE
SOFTBALL & BASEBALL INJURIES
265,000
TREATED IN THE ER NATIONWIDE
SOCCER
231,000 INJURIES TREATED IN THE ER NATIONWIDE
BASKETBALL INJURIES
570,000
TREATED IN THE ER NATIONWIDE graphic by Sam Skory
It’s all Greek to me: Greek Week kicks off across campus Greek Week kicked off earlier in the week with a variety of activities, including Trivia and the traditional Last Man Standing on the Esplanade. Members of Greek Life also attended a lecture Wednesday night over leadership. The week will conclude this weekend with Rush Kickoff. For more photos visit us online at www.trinitonian.com
Members of the fraternity Iota Chi Rho participate in the tradition of Trivia (left) alongside members of Alpha Chi Lambda sorority, including members CAITLIN HELLER, GRACE FRYE and ANNE FERGUSON.
NEWS...1-4
OPINION...5-8
PULSE...9-10
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT...11-13
photo by Miguel Webber
SPORTS...14-16