PEORIA, Ill. ?
Junior forward Monica Rogers (Forsyth, Ill./St. Teresa/Hampton) will miss the remainder of the season after rupturing her Achilles tendon during the second half of Sunday's home loss to I-74 rival Illinois State. Rogers, who missed both exhibition games and the first two games of the season due to minor knee surgery, is scheduled to have surgery Wednesday and will likely be sidelined for six to nine months.
A transfer from Hampton University, Rogers sat out the 2006-07 season due to NCAA rules regarding transfers, but returned to the court this season and was averaging 12.5 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 54.1 percent from the field.
"We are very disappointed that Monica is out for the season," head coach Paula Buscher said. "I know how hard it was for her to sit out last season after transferring and miss the first few games this season because of injuries. She was just starting to get back to full strength and it is unfortunate that something like this happens. Monica is a great person and a true competitor. We will do whatever we can to help her rebound from this setback and come back ready to go for her final season."
Rogers missed the first two games of the season and the Braves averaged just 47.0 points per game in those contests, but have averaged 66.6 points per game in the 12 games she has been in the lineup. She posted a double-double in her first appearance, finishing with 11 points and 13 rebounds in Bradley's victory against Illinois-Chicago.
Over the last six games, Rogers averaged 14.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, while shooting nearly 59 percent from the field. The Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week for the week of Dec. 31, she led the team in scoring in six of her 12 games.
Rogers will miss the remaining 15 regular-season games and State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. She is expected to return to the court next season and will have one year of eligibility remaining.
