It has been a long road back for Meghan McCullough, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at her now.
The senior guard has been named one of four senior captains for the Penn women’s basketball team, which — coming off of an 18-13 record last year — has high expectations for the upcoming season.
And in practices and live gameplay this fall, McCullough has looked great.
“She is someone who does all the little things to make a program successful,” coach Mike McLaughlin said.
But her condition going into this year is even more remarkable considering where she was approximately one year ago.
It was the third game of the 2012-13 season for the Quakers. McCullough had started all three games and shown real promise for the rest of the season, tallying a career-high six assists against Virginia. But in sports, all it takes is one moment for all promise to be lost.
McCullough tore her ACL, a devastating knee injury for any athlete and especially for a basketball player. There was no doubt about it: Her season was over.
However, McCullough had an extensive support network around her ready to help her through the process, especially her teammates.
“A lot of us have had knee injuries,” McCullough said. “They saw me when I was struggling, and they saw me when I had a good day.
“I just think everyone together has made it the finished product that it is.”
With a strong support system to fall back on, McCullough approached the task at hand with the energy and determination characteristic of her play on the court. However, there was no getting around the long and grueling process that stood in the way of her full recovery.
“It’s a whole year that basically took over my life,” she said. “And you just have to train.”
Meanwhile, the Quakers clearly missed both the tangibles and intangibles that McCullough brought to the court on a daily basis.
But younger Quakers — most notably then-freshman guard Keiera Ray — stepped up and gained valuable experience in her place, propelling the team to a winning record on the season despite the loss of their sparkplug guard.
“[Meghan] really helped the younger kids along to help set us up for a successful senior season,” McLaughlin said.
It has been almost one year since McCullough’s injury and all signs seem to indicate that McCullough has not only recovered but also emerged stronger than ever.
“She’s worked extremely hard, so she’s being rewarded for all that time and hard work,” McLaughlin said. “She looks like an all-around better player.”
And this year, McCullough will figure prominently in Penn’s backcourt alongside other talented players like Ray and senior Alyssa Baron. The senior point guard has high expectations for herself as a captain.
“Being out last year, I saw the game from a different perspective,” McCullough said. “It’s just a great honor to be able to help the underclassmen adjust.”
It is a sure thing that McCullough’s leadership and intangibles will be valuable assets for the Quakers this year, and no matter what happens on the court, she will value every minute of it.
“It’s my last year left to play college sports, so it’s time to have fun with it and leave it all on the floor.”
SEE ALSO
How Alyssa Baron changed Penn women’s basketball
Tydings | Penn women’s basketball ready to challenge for Ivy supremacy
All hands on deck for Penn women’s basketball with Keiera Ray out
Star-studded 2013-2014 slate awaits Penn women’s basketball
Clutch shots and Ivy wins: Penn women’s basketball 2012-13’s top moments
Looking around the Ivies: Preventing Princeton’s five-peat in women’s basketball
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