Beverly Determined to Make Strong Return
Jared Mintz
Issue date: 4/26/07 Section: Sports
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Erica Beverly arguably had the greatest freshman season in Hartford Hawks history. She started 30 of 31 games, led the team in rebounding with 8.7 boards a game (good for fifth for D-1 freshmen) and set a Hartford record with 271 rebounds. Beverly also led the team with 38 blocks, the second highest single-season total in Hawks history and shot 55 percent from the field, good for second in the America East.
The University knew they had a special player when Beverly came out with a 14 point, 11 rebound effort in her first collegiate game at Rhode Island, which the Hawks won.
But as Howie Day taught us; "even the best fall down sometimes."
The reigning America East Rookie of the Year was averaging 7.4 points and close to 6 rebounds per game and shot 58 percent from the field through the first eight games of the 2006-2007 season. Unfortunately, Beverly wouldn't see the 2007 part of the season.
December 2, 2006. In the eighth game of the season at home against the no. 22 ranked Brigham Young University the Hawks are up big in the second half. "Deebo" as Beverly is known as to many Hawks faithful goes up for a routine defensive board, but as she comes down she lets out a yell. However, this wasn't a Joakim Noah "I yell every time I grab a rebound" yell, this unfortunately, was different.
"I didn't even know what an ACL was before that," says Beverly reflecting on her injury. Her left ACL, the springboard for her knee, the influence behind the America East's Greg Oden, tore on that early December day. While Beverly sat on the sideline receiving medical attention the majority of the 1,200 people in attendance sat in silence hoping it was a cramp or a sprain or an anything not too serious. The crowd hoped in silence, what they all feared was a reality; Deebo was done for the season.
Long story short, the Hawks went a remarkable 20-6 the rest of the season without Beverly. Jennifer Rizzotti won her second-straight America East Coach of the Year award. Freshman forward Diana Delva stepped up in Beverly's absence bringing home Rookie of the Week honors three times. The Hawks even won their first ever WNIT game at home against Bucknell. The season went well for the Hawks, but they lost in the America East Championship game, stopping them from their third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. They had a great season despite missing one of their top players.
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