JMU's Griffin Rebounds from Two ACL Tears
by Chris R. Vaccaro | Special to Lacrosse Magazine Online
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James Madison standout Kim Griffin, who scored the game-winning goal in the Dukes' upset of Virginia, returned for a fifth year after her senior season was derailed by the second ACL tear of her college career. © JMU |
James Madison's Kim Griffin was named Colonial Athletic
Association Co-Player of the Week Monday for her combined six goals
and five assists against top five-ranked Virginia (a one-goal win)
and Maryland (a one-goal loss). Her career could have been over
after her second ACL tear, but Griffin has managed to stick around
for a fifth year of eligibility and use her talents for one last
ride with the Dukes.
“You saw Kim’s mental toughness just take over,”
said JMU coach Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe of Griffin’s
rehabilitation and perseverance. “She had the attitude where
she did it once, so she can do it again. She was confident knowing
she can deal with this obstacle.”
Griffin first tore the knee ligament during a practice her
sophomore season, then again in a game last season against William
& Mary. JMU was young last year. Griffin was the go-to
leader.
After the second injury, Griffin sat and watched as her team dive
into a dreary 5-11 season, providing motivation for her to return
for a fifth year. She applied to the business school for a
master’s program and was accepted. She also has a job lined
up at RSM McGladrey Accounting in Baltimore upon graduation.
“She’s here to help JMU regain its stature in the
nation and help us compete and win some games,”
Klaes-Bawcombe said. “She’s the whole package. Off the
field, she’s responsible and has a great value system. On the
field, she is incredibly talented. It was an incredible feeling
when she made the decision to stay.”
Said Griffin: “I knew I wasn’t going to finish
my lacrosse career with an injury.”
What most athletes don’t verbalize during their injury
rehabilitation is what they gain off the field. For Griffin, she
said she learned more in her year off than ever before.
“I watched dodges, other players’ vision, and I think
that watching them helped me,” said Griffin, who leads No.
12-ranked JMU in goals (25), points (34) and ground balls (18).
“I watched defensively the older players, their
communication, what they were saying and their body
positioning.”
Klaes-Bawcombe originally recruited Griffin when she was the head
coach at Hofstra University, but lost her to JMU. Everything worked
out in the end. Klaes-Bawcombe returned to her alma mater in summer
2006.
“I thought it would be a little weird since I turned her
down,” Griffin said. “I liked her, so I was pretty
excited [when she came to JMU]. I already knew her, so it was just
kind of funny.”
When asked what her best moment has been in collegiate lacrosse,
Griffin said winning the CAA title during her freshman year, but
then she mentioned something else as a close second. Her
game-winning goal against Virginia last week was fresh on her mind
and is something she’ll “remember forever.”
It’s something that may never have been if she didn’t
persevere for another year.
CAA Women's Lacrosse Notes
At 7-2, James Madison gets a breather from an
stacked schedule and does not play again until April 9 at No.
7-ranked Towson... Charlotte Wood scored a
game-high five goals against St. Mary’s in
Drexel’s (8-1) 16-8 win…
Towson (6-1) goalie Mary Teeters
was named CAA Co-Player of the Week after making a career-high 14
saves against nationally-ranked Stanford in a 10-9 win…
Hofstra’s (6-2) Jill Maier
was named CAA Rookie of the Week for the second time this season.
She had a hat trick and one assist in the Pride’s 21-8 win
over Oregon… Old Dominion (2-3) scored four
straight goals in the second half against Virginia Tech, but lost,
13-12, when the Hokies scored with nine seconds left.
