On Wednesday, April 7, 2022, sophomore Nicole Hawk tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), at a soccer game in Chicago. 

Hawk went for the ball when she planted her left leg to turn with the ball and she quickly heard a “pop” noise, and felt immediate pain in her knee. Hawk quickly fell to the ground while she waved and called for the coach to come over.

Due to this incident, Hawk can be out for 6-8 months depending on how well therapy will go and how much effort she gives while being in therapy. This is Hawks eighth year of playing soccer and nothing has ever happened like this.   

This incident affects her in many ways. It affects how fast she walks up the stairs, bending over and strengthening her knee. This summer is when colleges can start talking to players and looking at them at ID clinics, with the injury, Hawk won’t be able to attend the clinics.

Hawks surgery for her ACL was Thursday, April 28, 2022. After the surgery, Hawk will go to therapy for rehab and hopefully go back to soccer when assigned to.

“It changes the game for them because my creativity isn’t the same as everyone else. We all see different things on the field that helps each player out to eventually win the game,” Hawk said                                                

Hawk is very nervous that she will injure herself again or not heal as fast as she had planned or as she wanted to. Nicole’s physical therapy plan is five to seven sessions of rehab, which is to just prepare for the surgery. After the surgery Hawk has to wait for the surgeon to give her the go ahead to start therapy for her ACL.