This was supposed to be a joyous weekend for Kenzie Fowler, a time to celebrate her career in front of friends and family on Arizona softball鈥檚 senior day.
Instead, that career is over.
The Canyon del Oro star and two-time All-American will miss the remainder of her senior season after being diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome in her left shoulder, the school announced on Wednesday night.
Fowler, who suffered the same injury during her high school career but in her right shoulder, said late Wednesday night that she first felt pain last Thursday night, and that it worsened on Sunday in Seattle, when she pitched two innings in the first game of a double-header against the Washington Huskies.
Fowler is scheduled for another MRI, and she鈥檚 still seeking treatment options, which include surgery. The syndrome 鈥 which is caused when blood vessels and nerves compress in the space between the collarbone and the first rib 鈥 introduces the risk of a blood clot, and Fowler said her main priority now is quality of life.
People are also reading…
鈥淚 want to be active; I鈥檝e been an athlete my whole life,鈥 Fowler said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not like I鈥檓 going to shut down and be a couch a potato.鈥
The injury is just the latest in a long line of disappointments for the star pitcher, who missed all of 2013 after back surgery and was injured earlier this year when she was hit by a batted ball. The two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year at CDO, considered one of the top recruits in program history, went 8-6 with a 3.38 ERA in 24 games this season for the 40-11 Wildcats.
Her absence comes at a brutal time for the team, which hosts top-rated Oregon this weekend at Hillenbrand Stadium to close out the regular season.
鈥淲e are all very sad about Kenzie鈥檚 recent diagnosis of TOS,鈥 Arizona coach Mike Candrea said in a statement. 鈥淪he has endured so much to represent our university and the Arizona softball program. We will enjoy the great memories that she has provided our fans, the 大象APPcommunity and her teammates over her career as a Wildcat.鈥
As a freshman, Fowler was one of the top players in the country, finishing with a 38-9 record and a 1.53 ERA while earning first-team All-American honors and helping lead the Wildcats to the Women鈥檚 College World Series.
She had hoped to help carry Arizona back to the WCWS, and now she intends to 鈥減ut on the coaching hat鈥 while remaining active with the team.
She said she鈥檒l be in uniform this weekend, because, 鈥淚鈥檓 not giving that up.鈥
But, she said, she鈥檚 taking the news hard, as are the rest of the Wildcats.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 hit me yet,鈥 Fowler said. 鈥淢y emotions are all over the place right now. I鈥檓 numb one minute, the next minute crying my eyes out. I feel like I鈥檓 still going to practice for bullpen. It鈥檚 really hard. This weekend being senior weekend鈥t鈥檚 heartbreaking."
