Perseverance pays off for Wiener
4/20/2007 12:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
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Fifth year senior Jeff Wiener has had a roller coaster ride on the field during his career at Lehigh battling injuries and sicknesses.
After contributing mostly in practice his freshman year Wiener was poised to come back and be a major contributor his sophomore season. Unfortunately in what Wiener describes as a “freak accident,” he tore his ACL and partially tore his meniscus. “We were on the turf and I just planted the wrong way,” Wiener said.
Wiener was forced to get surgery to repair his injured knee. The injury would sideline him for an entire year.
After his surgery Wiener credited his teammates for keeping his spirits high. “I was on crutches for eight weeks after my surgery,” Wiener said. “My teammates were very supportive, checking in on me and helping me with rides.”
Wiener would spend the year rehabbing. “The doctors told me it would take me eight months to a year to get back, and I would not see results right away.” Wiener said. “I had to do a lot of stretching and exercise to get my range of motion and strength back.”
Wiener said the hardest thing was not being on the field helping his teammates. “It was bad,” he said. “I never had anything like that happen to me before, it was tough watching the games and seeing mistakes and places where I could help and not being able to, it was frustrating.”
Wiener would make it back for his junior campaign but was restrained by a brace he had to wear to protect his surgically repaired knee. He appeared in 13 games scoring three goals and dishing out eight assists. “I couldn’t really move around in the brace,” Weiner said. “I played passive at times because I was scared of something happening again”
Finally after another summer of rest and rehab Wiener had a break out senior season, starting 11 games and recording a career high nine assists and 17 goals, including one with seven ticks remaining to defeat No. 14 Army.
Unfortunately with four games remaining in the season Wiener would once again face the possibility of missing games.
“I was hit on the side of the head,” Wiener said. “I went to the health center because I thought I had an ear infection and they did some test on me and told me that I had mono.”
Wiener was furious. “I was finally playing good, the team was doing well, I wanted to play through it.” Unfortunately the medical staff informed Wiener that he would not be able to participate in the remainder of the season.
At the end of the season Wiener had a decision to make. He could have graduated and went off into the work force, or return as a fifth-year senior because of the injury he suffered sophomore year. “It was a good opportunity to come back, I would have regretted it if I did not,” Wiener said.
Wiener who already had a degree in finance came back to school to pursue a second degree in economics.
Wiener says that his injuries and sickness also weighed on his decision. “If I didn’t get sick last year I don’t know if I would have came back,” Wiener said. “I think it worked out for the best.”
This year Wiener has been head coach Chris Wakely’s best scoring option, leading the team in shots (62) and goals (20), while ranking second in points (29). “Our offense is centered on Jeff,” Wakely said. “Other guys have the ball more often but in reality it’s more centered around him.”
“Jeff gained respect from his teammates because they saw what he had to go through,” Wakely said. “He is one of those guys who says a little and does a lot. He consistently competes on a high level.”
Wiener will graduate in the spring with over a 3.0 GPA and a double major. He is interviewing for financial positions in
The Mountain Hawks have finished the Patriot League season but have one non-league game remaining on Saturday at No. 11 Notre Dame beginning at 11:00 AM. “Its good to be back and playing again,” Wiener said. “I don’t take for anything for granted. It is good to be able to practice and play everyday.”
Story written by Kyle Neptune, Lehigh Sports Media Relations
