Resilient

After two tears on the same ACL, some players might be inclined to give up.

But not Pilar Walker.

Walker is a 5-foot-7-inch redshirt senior guard for the Lady Colonels basketball team who recently transferred to Eastern from Eastern Illinois University.

Both injuries occurred while Walker was attending EIU. During her sophomore year (2009-10), Walker played the first 16 games before she sustained her initial knee injury. The second occurred during the 2010-2011 campaign. She only played eight games but started three of them.

Walker said the first knee injury caused more mental anguish than physical.

"After the first surgery, I cried for two weeks straight," Walker said. "I didn't think the pain was ever going away."

But she added the pain did go away as the physical rehabilitation progressed.

The experience of the first surgery served as a primer of what she expected from the second.

"When I had the second surgery, I was more mentally prepared and knew what the pain level was going to be," she said.

Walker left nothing to chance, fundamentally, during both stints of rehab.

"I worked on all aspects of my game; I didn't want to leave anything out," Walker said.

She said the second round of rehabilitation had some extra incentive.

"I pushed harder during the second one because I knew I was leaving one place and going somewhere, where I'm happy; I wanted to be a better player for my teammates and coaches," she said.

Junior guard Raechelle Gray and junior forward/center Alex Jones have nothing but positive things to say about Walker.

"She is an awesome teammate," Gray said. "She brings energy to the practices."

She added Walker motivates the team to play better.

"If you've ever been to one of our practices, she is the booming voice you hear coming from the sideline," Gray said.

Jones said Walker is both inspiring and motivating.

"She is a really good teammate; she is always encouraging the rest of the team even though she isn't able to practice," Gray said.

Jones added Walker maintains a positive attitude despite the injuries and surgeries.

Coach Chrissy Roberts used one word to describe Walker as a player: leader.

"She is very vocal and has a great understanding of the game; she's a competitor," Coach Roberts said.

She also said Walker handles and shoots the ball extremely well.

Walker is also unselfish on the court.

"She gets the ball where it needs to go and creates opportunities for other players," Roberts said.

In addition to her skill level, Coach Roberts also praised an intangible trait of Walker's that is hard to pin down with x's and o's.

"She is the emotional leader of the team," Roberts said.