Jenny Fowler was expected to be one of the best freshman players on this season’s women’s soccer team.
But 20 minutes into the first day of practice, her season was ended by a torn ACL.
As a highly-prized recruit – Fowler was a high school standout at Central Crossing in Grove City – she was given recognitions such as the Columbus Dispatch’s Player of the Week and a two-time team MVP.
She’s played club soccer for several different team in his career, including the Women’s Premier Soccer League and has been kicking soccer balls since she was 4 years old.
The next months were all a blur for the freshman while adjusting to college classes and sitting on the sideline.
‘I was very upset,’ Fowler said. ‘I tore my other ACL before. I just thought, oh, I tore my ACL again. I worked all summer for nothing.’
So for the promising freshman defender, it was time to start rebuilding each and every muscle in her legs and doing physical therapy on a daily basis. She’s three months into what is a six- to nine-month recovery plan.
But coach Andy Richards is excited for next year and so is Fowler. Next year, Fowler will be a sophomore, fully recovered, and have a year of experiencing what Falcon soccer is all about.
‘First it was hard. It was all new,’ Fowler said. ‘The upperclassmen helped us out not to be homesick and tell us what was expected of us on the team.’
And Fowler well get her chance next year. With three senior defenders graduating this year, she will get her chance to shine.
‘I want to stay healthy, be in my best shape [and] help out the team as much as I am able to,’ Fowler said. ‘I want us to be a winning team and win the [Mid-American Conference] championship.’
She backs up her talk too.
‘I’m a very vocal player on the field, too,’ she said. ‘I talk a lot on the field. I will bring the leadership aspect.’
So when August rolls around again, Fowler will be a little wiser, a lot healthier and even hungrier to compete.’