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Catchings isn’t done
By Seth Traub, Special to CNNSI.com Tennessee senior Tamika Catchings wants one more record. Out with a tear in the anterior cruciate ligament of her right knee suffered last Monday, Catchings is not satisfied with being one of only two players in Vols history to have over 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. She also wants to be the fastest Vol to ever come back from an ACL injury. Catchings wants to be healthy by the time the Final Four rolls around in March. The usual rehabilitation period for ACL tears is several months. "One of my original goals coming in was to have two national championships before I left. I have one. I don't have the other," said Catchings, a freshman when Tennessee won the 1998 title. Other Vols have battled back from severe injuries. In 1997, guard Kellie Jolly recovered from a torn ACL in three months and two weeks. Team doctor Jenny Moshak couldn't compare the two injuries, as Catchings is yet to have surgery to show the extent of her injuries. Moshak said she wouldn't put it past Catchings to recover in so little time. "I'm going to try it," Catchings said. "Right now, my main focus is helping this team even though I can't be on the court with them." And help off the court she did in Thursday's home win over fourth-ranked Georgia. To motivate her players, Tennessee coach Pat Summit created an award in Catchings' honor. It's a blue headband awarded for hustle plays. For the Georgia game, SEC player of the week Semeka Randall got it for six hustle plays, Summit said. "I challenged her to keep her intensity and leadership up and to have a positive approach. I thought she did a terrific job. She can make a difference with her attitude," Summit said. The Vols avenged last season's 27-point loss at Georgia -- their worst SEC defeat ever -- and now has won 30 straight in Thompson-Boling Arena since an overtime loss to Georgia in December 1996. "We know we've got to pull together more than ever. We were ready to play. Even in warm-ups, we were pumped. We've got to do that," junior Michelle Snow said. "We've got to continue to play as a team and make sure that everyone knows their role. When we lost Tamika, we lost 16 points and 9 boards. We've all got to chip in and make up the difference." Four players were in double figures for the Vols. ACL claims another victim in FloridaSomething must be in the water in Gainesville. Since the beginning of conference play, the men's basketball team has lost three starters to injury. Two for the season. Now, coach Carol Ross is dealing with the women's third season-ending ACL injury. Reserve guard Sherisha Hills attempted to steal a pass with 4:38 remaining in Thursday's win against Auburn when. She landed awkwardly on her right knee, which immediately buckled. "Sherisha is a tough person and is probably handling this about as well as anyone would," Ross said. "I believe our team has the maturity to come together and not let Sherisha's absence from our lineup cloud our goals. Sherisha is the type of person who will encourage her teammates and not allow that to happen. She will find a way to contribute. That's the type of person that she is." This is the second time Hills has torn an ACL in her knee. She suffered her first injury to her left knee during her senior year at Academy of the Holy Names. In April, Hills underwent an ACL revision in her left knee after stretching the ligament. Also sidelined for the Gators because of a torn ACL are Kelly Stevenson and Tara Taylor. Stevenson's injury to her left knee occurred during preseason conditioning drills in September. She underwent reconstructive surgery on Oct. 9. Taylor was lost with 11:23 remaining during UF's exhibition game on Nov. 12 against Norrkoping of Sweden. She had surgery on January 3rd. "I hate that this had to happen to Kelly, Tara and Sherisha," Ross said. "Hopefully we will have someone on our team step up with the adversity we're facing. We just have to play with the cards we're dealt." This is just another injury on the long list for Ross. She has lost a starter or significant contributor each of the last four years, including junior Brandi McCain (leg, ACL), senior Tombi Bell (ankle), Tiffany Travis (ACL), Tonya Washington (MCL) and Murriel Paige. Seth Traub is a reporter for the Independent Florida Alligator, the student paper that serves the University of Florida.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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