DURHAM, N.C. | Injuries finally halted the playing career of former Regis Jesuit girls basketball standout Katie Heckman.
The Duke University women’s basketball program — with which Heckman signed in 2011 — announced Wednesday that the 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman post player has accepted a medical hardship recommended by the team’s training staff.
Heckman tore her anterior cruciate ligament in preseason training in 2012 and underwent two arthroscopic surgeries, but never appeared in a game for the Blue Devils, who are currently ranked No. 3 in the country. Heckman will be allowed to stay in school at the university and complete her degree.
The ACL tear was the second in a three-year span for Heckman, who missed most of her junior season at Regis Jesuit in 2010-11 after suffering her first injury, but rebounded to score 10.8 points pull down 6.7 rebounds and collect 2.5 steals and 1.9 blocks per contest to help the Raiders to the Class 5A semifinals.
Heckman made the Aurora Sentinel’s All-City First Team and also was selected for The Show all-star game.
The injury didn’t deter Duke, which had been Heckman’s target since she first thought of playing college basketball, and represented the highest profile signing of any of the numerous Division I players to come through coach Carl Mattei’s Regis Jesuit program.
“Duke’s always been my dream school, so it’s unbelievable that I actually got in — especially after being out last season,” Heckman said in 2011 at her signing ceremony. “It’s an amazing feeling to have your dream come true.”
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel
