By Layne Weitzel, TTU Sports Information
This story about Tech redshirt sophomore Anacia Wilkinson was first published in Tennessee Tech's third basketball game day program of the 2017-18 season (covering the Dec. 28, 2017-Jan. 13, 2018 home games). Wilkinson, a key bench player for Tech, has struggled with injury throughout her time in Cookeville and recently got back on the court for her first games in nearly a year.
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – Anacia Wilkinson doesn't like sitting on the bench.
Unfortunately, for reasons she can't control, she's had to do a lot of it during her time at Tech. The redshirt sophomore, who's nicknamed Naci, has consistently played for just one of her three years in Cookeville and still hasn't been able to get on the court in the 2017-18 season (as of this program's publication in mid-December).
The problem? Her left knee, which has been giving Wilkinson issues ever since her high school playing days in Houston. She developed patellar tendonitis, a common knee injury with basketball players due to the frequency of jumping and landing, and got her first arthroscopy as a high schooler.
"I just played on it," Wilkinson said. "I had a good senior year in high school – an amazing year, actually. That was the best year in high school that I had."
In her final season at Atascocita High School, Wilkinson averaged 12.4 points, eight rebounds and three blocks per game and helped the Eagles to the District 16-6A title, an appearance in the Class 6A playoffs and a 24-8 season record. She was also named league MVP.
Tennessee Tech and former head coach Jim Davis noticed Wilkinson's talent and announced her signing in April 2015.
"On the court, I plan on helping the team with the skills and talents God has blessed me with," Wilkinson had said during her signing.
But her tendonitis problems followed her to Cookeville. The addition of a day-to-day strength and conditioning program, which isn't commonplace in high school athletics, aggravated Wilkinson's knee more.
"Coming to college and that transition of lifting weights, all that stuff was new to my body, so my knee was like, oh no," she said.
Wilkinson managed to play just two games in her debut season at Tech before deciding to try another scope, figuring that would relieve some of the pressure off her knee. Through rehab and recovery, she got back in time for the start of the 2016-17 season to compete as a redshirt freshman.
She made four starts and played in all but two of Tech's games, totaling 100 rebounds and 32 blocks in 346 minutes. Tech's game versus East Tennessee State on Dec. 11, 2016 proved to be her best – Wilkinson put up her first career double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds, which remain career-highs, and she was honored as that week's adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Week.
What's most impressive about Wilkinson is she did all this while still battling excruciating knee pain.
"Last year, I know everybody saw my facial expressions during the games," she said. "I tried to push through it a lot, and I tried my best to get through last season, and I just couldn't."
Although her minutes dwindled, Wilkinson somehow did get through the season, playing her last game on Feb. 25, 2017 at Eastern Kentucky.
After the season ended, Wilkinson went back for a visit with team physician Richard Williams, thinking it was time to undergo surgery. Although Williams has since retired from performing surgery, he previously specialized in knee and shoulder surgeries and has helped countless Tech student-athletes get back to competition.
Wilkinson was referred to Dr. Christian Anderson, an orthopaedic surgeon at the Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance. Like Williams, he specializes in sports medicine and arthroscopic knee, shoulder and hip surgeries.
"The doctor said that it's the worst case of tendonitis he's ever seen before," said Wilkinson.
Anderson performed Wilkinson's surgery on May 8, removing two-thirds of her patellar tendon in her left knee and sewing and drilling two permanent stitches into her kneecap. Wilkinson has since started running but hasn't yet been able to make it back into a game setting. Although her recovery time could take up to a year, she hopes to be back at the beginning of January.
Until then, Wilkinson has been working hard at her rehab process, spending three days a week at Tech's Athletic Performance Center and two days a week with a physical therapist at the Cookeville Regional Medical Center.
"I always have to find a way to fit it in," she said. "That's what I enjoy since I can't do anything else. I look forward to therapy and rehab because I always get to do something new every week.
"I'm willing to do anything to get back. Take no days off."
She hasn't skipped out on practice or games either, traveling with the team on road trips and sitting beside director of basketball operations Aaron Sternecker during practices and pregame shoot around. While her teammates stretch, Wilkinson takes some shots at the hoop across the court, just to keep a ball in her hand.
Like any athlete in her situation, though, Wilkinson would rather be playing for real.
"It's very hard watching," she said. "I try to do anything to get out there, but I know I have to take it slow and just be patient with it because my time will come."
Wilkinson admits that she has hit some low points – who wouldn't when you're playing in pain during the times you do get on the court? She credits her friends and Tech teammates and coaches for helping her through "the hard times." After games, assistant coach Allison Clark leads the team in prayer, thanking God for the opportunity to play basketball and asking Him to continue to be with Naci.
"I have some good people who have my back," said Wilkinson. "I've had people help me along the way encouraging me to fight through. You've gotten so far; don't give up now."
As one of the more experienced returners from the 2016-17 squad, coupled with her 6'2" frame, Wilkinson would make a huge impact on this season's team. For now, she sits on the bench alongside her teammates during games, dressed in warm-up gear.
"I always catch Coach Rose looking at me because she always looks down and wants to put me in, but I'm like, Coach, I can't get in!" said Wilkinson.
She'll get in soon – maybe it will be in January, maybe it won't. All Naci knows is she's looking forward to stepping onto the court in her uniform again.
"I'm going to be so happy," she said. "I'm just waiting on that day."
True to her word, Anacia Wilkinson stepped onto the court for the first time this season on Jan. 18 at Eastern Kentucky with 49 seconds left in the first quarter. In 17 minutes off the bench, she totaled eight points, three rebounds and a career-high-tying four blocks. Funny enough, her recovery came full circle. Wilkinson's last game action came on Feb. 25, 2017 – at Eastern Kentucky.
Photo by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
