Last year, coaches were thrilled and basketball fans were astonished at the talent and power of 6'8" freshman post player Dan K. Clemente. Thrust into the spotlight, the 1997-'98 Ivy League Rookie of the Year returned to campus this fall fully expecting to be operating on the defenses of rival teams, racking up three pointers and rebounds.

Instead, he will be operated on for a degenerating ankle condition during Thanksgiving break. Translation: Clemente will be out of action for the season.

Unfortunately for Harvard sports fans and athletes alike, Clemente's predicament is not an unusual one. Many players this season are finding themselves sidelined, faced with the challenge of rehabilitation and an eventual comeback.

Sometimes the element of choice is all but eliminated.

"My season ended prematurely," Kim L. Megdanis '00 laments. A three-season runner, Megdanis is currently recuperating from a serious muscle strain, only a year after undergoing surgery. She says her decision to pass on the remainder of the cross-country season was difficult, although it was made in consultation with her coach and trainer.

Like Clemente, sophomore Carrie E. Larkworthy, a guard for the women's basketball team, was plagued by ankle problems last season. She was initially compared to Jessica M. Gelman '97, the all-time school assist record holder, but after surgery became necessary, she had to watch from the bench as the record escaped her grasp.

Many diehard athletes experience recurring injuries that eventually require medical attention. Over time, excessive wear-and-tear on muscles and joints can aggravate otherwise unnoticeable conditions, often creating new ones in the process.

The problems Megdanis is facing date to her years on the high school oval. She says they just recently became pronounced.

Clemente, too, is no stranger to injury, having missed a handful of games his inaugural season because of a sprained ankle. Further sprains this past summer led doctors to recommend season-end surgery.

Senior Melissa M. Milbert, who plays defense for the women's hockey team, has not experienced the same phenomenon. Although she has broken several bones and recently tore a major ligament in her knee for a second time, Milbert's injuries comprise a string of severe but non-related occurrences.

Faced with the prospect of losing her final season of collegiate hockey, Milbert decided to take the year off and return to her native Minnesota for intensive therapy and rehabilitation.

"I've decided to withdraw for the year," she says. "It really was the best decision for me."

Most athletic injuries reflect the nature of a particular sport. Coaches say runners are more prone to ankle and leg problems, while soccer players often develop knee disorders. Contact sports like football and hockey tend to see the most serious and diverse injuries.

"When our kids get hurt, they really get hurt," women's hockey coach Katey Stone remarks.

As a result of injury, Stone estimates three to five players are forced to miss competitions each season. She says, however, that Milbert's story is highly unusual.