The Comeback Kid

You can say that Andy Kolker specializes in comebacks on the tennis court, however that would simply not give the Penn senior enough credit. For instance, imagine how Swarthmore senior Justin Singer felt earlier this year coming to Penn's Robert P. Levy Tennis Pavilion, playing first-seeded singles and breaking his opponent's first serve. Singer might have thought that things were going to go his way, but Kolker was the player on the other side of the net, who came back to win 12 of the next 13 games in a straight sets victory 6-1, 6-1. By simply stepping foot on the court to face-off with Singer, Kolker completed an even more impressive comeback. The Penn co-captain returned to competitive play for the Quakers for the first time since suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament on Feb. 23 of last year. Kolker has a distinct recollection of that fateful day, being able to recite the exact date and time his injury occurred without a moment's hesitation. He also remembers feeling a unique sensation in his knee as he competed in Penn's match at William and Mary. "I didn't think at all that it would be season ending," Kolker said. "Although it felt pretty weird. I felt a pop and the thought crossed my mind of needing surgery, but I was hoping that wouldn't be the case." He found out two days later from team physician Dr. Brian Sennett that there was an 80 percent chance he had torn his ACL. "I think I was in shock for the first few minutes, but then I came to grips with it," Kolker said. The procedure took place in mid-March of last year, and months of rehabilitation ensued. Weight training and balance exercises were used to help restore strength to Kolker's leg. "Rehab was pretty tough at first," Kolker said. "It was kind of annoying not being able to walk normally for a while, but over time I retrained my muscles to do so." During the grueling rehab, Kolker remained focused with one goal in mind -- to come back strong for a solid senior campaign. He even played tennis in a chair to maintain the feel for the game. Four months after his surgery, Kolker was able to step onto the neighborhood courts by his home in Maryland with his father and hit some tennis balls. "It was one of the best feelings ever," Kolker said. "I remember I went out and played, I was going for like five minutes. Of course, I usually overdo things and I played for almost an hour and a half. I couldn't move for the next two weeks, but it was great to be back playing." As the start of the school year, Kolker rejoined the Quakers for fall practice. His presence was immediately felt by his teammates. "Andy is an inspiration to us all," senior co-captain Ryan Harwood said. "He is probably the hardest worker on the team. He's just made ridiculous strides, in the fact that he had a setback in an injury. He's overcome a lot of obstacles, and he proves that practice and hard work does the job." Kolker kept his sights firmly on his ultimate goal to return in the spring for a strong senior year. The expectation was that he would return to the line-up in late February, but the hard-working senior was ahead of schedule and was ready for the Quakers' season opener on Jan. 25. "That's what I've been working for, to get back on the court and get a 'W' to help the team out and it was real exciting to be in the line-up and get a start out there," Kolker said of his defeat of Singer. The ensuing week saw Kolker return to action against Richmond. Again, he was victorious in straight sets over the Spiders' Derek Schwandt, 6-1, 6-4, to earn a pivotal point in the Quakers' 4-3 victory. Based on results alone, Kolker's return to the line-up is a welcome addition for the Quakers. "During the Richmond match, we looked over at his court and he was doing nothing but working hard and winning," Penn coach Mark Riley said. "For a guy to come back from a devastating injury like an ACL, he never felt sorry for himself, always did his rehab, and if anybody wants to know how to rehab an ACL, they should go visit Andy." Kolker credits Sennett, his family, friends, teammates, and Riley for the substantial support that they provided on his long road back to the court. Kolker cites one of his goals for the season as ending his college career with an Ivy League Championship. Successful or not, Andy Kolker will have nothing to be ashamed of as it is a certainty that he will give it his all trying. It should not surprise anyone if Kolker succeeds in leading the Quakers in a comeback from a 60-year outright title drought.

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