Lisa Bluder’s Wednesday press conference may have been better suited for the UI Hospital and Clinics rather than the basement of Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
The 10th-year Iowa women’s basketball coach was noticeably solemn — and for good reason.
Her coach has since learned more, and was understandably shaken up when discussing Hamlin’s status with the media Wednesday. Bluder said Hamlin had been diagnosed with a blood clot that stretches from her upper right leg to her right calf.
“It’s quite possible she’ll never play basketball again,” Bluder said. “She woke up in the middle of the night [on Nov. 5] with severe pain in her leg, and it just deteriorated from there.
“There was no trauma. There was no surgery, so they don’t understand why it’s happened.”
Hamlin’s blood clot leaves her out indefinitely The Douglass, Kan., native was looking to rebound for a strong senior campaign after seeing limited action in Iowa’s final seven games of the 2008-09 campaign because of an ankle injury.
Freshman Morgan Johnson, who started at center during Sunday’s exhibition, will continue to start in place of Hamlin.
Draxten out at least a week, Taylor ready to go
Hamlin was not the only Hawkeye included in Bluder’s injury report.
A MRI on Tuesday detected a bulging disc in the back of sophomore Hannah Draxten after it was aggravated in practice. Bluder anticipates Draxten being out at least a week.
Freshman Jaime Printy will step into Draxten’s spot in the starting lineup for the time being.
Freshman Theairra Taylor, who underwent surgery in March after tearing her ACL in her final high-school game, is cleared for this weekend’s KCRG-TV9 Hawkeye Challenge.
Bluder said Taylor got “clocked good” during Wednesday’s practice, and wasn’t able to finish the session. Still, Bluder suspected Taylor would be ready to go for Saturday’s game against Santa Clara.
The coach said she wasn’t told of any physical limits regarding Taylor’s knee.
Hawkeyes ink first commitment in Rogers
Wednesday’s news was not entirely negative.
Bluder happily announced the Hawkeyes had signed their first member of their 2010 recruiting class. Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Jade Rogers has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball for Iowa.
Rogers, a 5-11 forward, is from Hiawatha. She led the state in scoring (22.3 ppg) as well as rebounding (13.4 rpg) during her sophomore season, earning first team all-state, all-district, all-metro, and all-conference honors. Rogers also earned a Mississippi Valley Conference Player of the Year distinction.
She suffered an ACL injury in the summer of 2008 but was able to play in 17 games as a junior, averaging 17.9 points per game and 10.6 points per game while leading her team to an appearance in the state tournament’s semifinals. Rogers once again earned first team all-state, all-district, all-metro and all-conference honors.
Rogers’ stepfather, James Moses, played for the Iowa men’s basketball team from 1989-92.
“Jade’s a nice, versatile player,” Bluder said. “She can shoot the 3, can post up. She’s a kid who loves the Hawkeyes and wants to be here, so that’s a great situation. We’re happy to sign Jade this morning.”
