For former Lady Cyclone and current Duke Blue Devil, Emily Schubert, this past season of college basketball has been about bouncing back.
The 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during the 2016-17 season, benching Schubert during her first year with the Blue Devils.
But now Schubert is back in action as she builds up her confidence on the hardwood.
“It is a tough injury to get back from,” said Schubert. “Gaining confidence in not only your legs but also your playing ability can be hard. It is definitely a long process. I think I’m finally starting to feel more comfortable in practice and learning the plays. I think everything has gone smoothly.”
The Blue Devils closed out their season this past Saturday as they fell to Connecticut, 72-59, in the NCAA Sweet 16.
“We had a good season,” said Schubert. “We had a couple little bumps. But we overcame those and learned from them. We definitely applied those in our NCAA run.”
Over the 2017-18 season, Schubert played in six games with some of that playing time coming during the NCAA Tournament, something Schubert said she will never forget.
“It is cool,” said Schubert. “It is something that every little girl dreams of when they first start playing basketball. It is a moment that I have thought about, and it is something that I will cherish and remember for the rest of my life.”
Like most athletes, Schubert said the change from high school ball to the collegiate level has been quite the jump in competition, but said she feels the transition is going well.
“It is a big change,” said Schubert.” Girls are bigger and stronger. Especially in the ACC. Everyone can play. Everyone is super athletic. Everyone is the same size. So all of those advantages are gone. It is just a lot to get used to. I think the players on my team are great, and being able to learn from them has been great for me.” Schubert bounces back from torn ACL, sees playing time at Duke