By Kevin Mills,Staff Writer

It was nearly official. Lyndsay Clark’s college basketball career was over.

In October, the former Dirigo High School star was declared a permanent medical redshirt at the University at Albany. After spending the last two years trying to overcome the effects of compartmental syndrome in her shin, Clark’s career was, technically, at its end.

But the former Cougar wasn’t quite ready to give up. After two years of hoping and waiting to play regularly, Clark still had plenty of fighting spirit left.

“They told me basically that it was a permanent medical redshirt, which meant I was out for my career,” said Clark. “I went to the coach and asked what I could do.

“I’m not giving up yet. I’ve still have two years left.”

Coach Trina Patterson made some calls and the word “permanent” was removed. Now Clark hopes the pain in her shin can go away as well.

“It’ll be nice to come back for my last two years,” said Clark, Dirigo’s all-time leading scorer. “I’m just hoping and praying for that.”

Clark is taking this basketball season off. She’s doing nothing with her leg to allow it to rest and heal. The hope is that the time off will be the right medicine and give her a chance to play again.

“I’m kind of in limbo,” she said. “I want to come back so bad, but I don’t want to get my hopes up. I just hope it gets better. May was what they set as a deadline. So, by then, I’ll know.”

It’s an injury that has plagued her since she arrived at Albany as the first Dirigo athlete to earn a full Division I scholarship. She had surgery prior to her freshman year to alleviate compartmental syndrome, an injury prominent in the leg where increased tissue pressure subsequently compromises circulation and function. She got a late start but managed to see action in 20 games that year.

The pain never subsided and a more severe injury to her shin was diagnosed. She had surgery during the following summer. She had hoped to come back full strength her sophomore year but only suffered further disappointment. She saw limited action in just 11 games.

She was optimistic this spring that maybe things would be different this year, but she soon discovered this summer that nothing had changed.

“I think I was just optimistic and really anxious to get on the court,” said Clark. “My adrenaline was keeping me going. When I started training again, it was just killing me.

“My adrenaline was getting me through the drills, but when I stopped, then I knew it wasn’t healed.”

She admits she has come to grips a little more with her misfortune, but still has the desire to play. She tried to comeback quickly after her two surgeries, and it didn’t work. She hopes the lengthy rest might be the solution

“Now I’m used to it,” she said. “Now if I hear something, I don’t get distraught over it. I’m used to it, and I just try to make the best of it. I still came here to play basketball, and I can’t do what I love to do. It is frustrating. It is difficult, and I just do what I can.”

Clark still spends plenty of time around the Great Danes. She’s at most of the practices and games. She helps the team in any capacity possible, working in the office, helping with equipment, doing scouting. She does conditioning regularly, using the elliptical and doing weight training with her upper body.

“Hopefully, if I do comeback, I’ll be ready to go,” she said.

She praises her coach and her teammates for their effort to help maintain her role with the team.

“The team does a really good job trying to include me even though I’m not a player,” she said. “It’s got to be difficult for them when I’m not out there playing. They’ve done a wonderful job. I really do everything with them. It’s the same, but unfortunately, I’m not on the court with them.”