Trasolini Discusses Implications of Injury

By Gabe Taylor

Barely any time had passed on Santa Clara men's basketball Canadian tour this summer when the defending College Insider Tournament champions were dealt a critical blow. Senior forward Marc Trasolini, a native of Canada playing in front of friends and family, suffered a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) minutes into Santa Clara's opening game against Trinity Western University.

After an unforgettable 2010-2011 campaign in which he averaged nearly 13 points, six rebounds and a block per game, Trasolini will remain on the sideline for the upcoming season. He will be eligible to return to the court as a red-shirt senior for the 2012-2013 season.

The Santa Clara: Can you take us through the play where you got injured?

Marc Trasolini: It was just a play that I've made a thousand times: I had the ball at the three-point line, went left baseline, then planted with my left foot and went into the defense. There were a couple of guys around me, and my knee just gave out.

TSC: What was going through your head when it happened? Did you think it was a serious injury right away?

MT: No, I had no idea. I never really heard how ACLs happen, and it didn't really hurt — to be honest ­­— at first. It just felt really weak and really weird when I first did it. I tried to keep playing, but that didn't really work. I found out later that it was serious.

TSC: How long did you keep trying to play with the injury?

MT: I was on the court for another minute. I tried stretching it out and having our trainer work on it. I warmed up at halftime, but that made it worse.

TSC: When did you first find out that it was a torn ACL?

MT: The next day I had an MRI, and the orthopedic surgeon told me the bad news.

TSC: How did Coach Keating and your teammates initially react to the injury?

MT: Everyone was pretty shocked too, and disappointed. Coach was with me the whole time; he was really supportive. He came with me to the MRI and the surgery. He was with me the whole way, same with my parents. I'm extremely grateful for what they did, and for the support of all the other coaches and my teammates, and really, everyone.

TSC: What have people been telling you throughout this whole process?

MT: The main thing is to stay positive, work hard and... make the most out of it.

TSC: What will your rehab look like going forward?

MT: It's been (just over) three weeks since the surgery, so I've been rehabbing for a week and a half and getting my range of motion back, and getting some strength back in my legs. The next two to three weeks are just continuing to do those things. Once I'm able to walk again, then it's really just about getting the strength back.

TSC: Do you have a goal or estimation for when you can get back on the court?

MT: I wish I could do that right now, but there's a limit that I'm stuck with. I can't exceed expectations and come back two months early. There's a set time period; it's six months, so hopefully that's when it is.

TSC: Do you still plan on having a big role on the team even though it will, of course, be a different role?

MT: Yeah, it's a chance for me to see the game from a different perspective, be kind of an assistant coach, help the guys out, be a motivator on the bench, and work with the bigs, especially on what they can do to fill in the holes.

TSC: Do you think the team's approach is going to change at all?

MT: I think that we're going to be more guard oriented this year, and we're going to need the bigs to step up and be solid rebounders and get looks inside, because we don't really return, besides me, any major post threat. We really need them to work hard, step up, and be a big presence down low.

TSC: Looking towards next season, is it exciting that you will be able to come back and play with all of the younger players who will have had another year of experience?

MT: It's nice to give them a year to mature, and then I'm going to have four or five other seniors right next to me. I'll be able to finish my career with Kevin, who I started it with. It'll be his last year and my last year, so we'll finish what we started... I just want to say thank you to everyone for their support.

Contact Gabe Taylor at gtaylor@scu.edu or at (408) 551-1918.