KNOXVILLE, TENN. --- Jenny Moshak, University of Tennessee Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Medicine, announced this evening that Lady Vol rookie basketball standout Candace Parker had been reevaluated by Dr. William T. Youmans, UT Team Orthopedist.
"Candace had an MRI and x-rays yesterday. This evening, Dr. Youmans read the reports and examined her knee," said Moshak. "He has cleared her to begin practice with the team on Dec. 26."
Parker, a 6'3" freshman forward from Napierville, Ill., took the good news by changing into her uniform and warm-ups and joining her team on the floor at halftime of the #9/10-ranked Tennessee vs.#2 Stanford game.
Parker is considered to be the most highly decorated female prepster ever to enter the collegiate ranks. A multi-named National Player of the Year, Parker missed the first six weeks of her 2003-04 senior season at Napierville Central H.S., while recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered the summer prior to her senior campaign. Nevertheless, Parker led Naperville to a 33-2 record and a second straight Class AA state championship, despite missing 11 games. The dunking phenom averaged 24.3 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 3.5 blocked shots and 3.3 spg.
"After starting classes in August, Candace experienced swelling in her left knee and, upon further diagnostic testing, it was determined that she needed to undergo arthroscopic surgery to assess the source of the swelling," indicated Moshak. "Her surgery on Aug. 26, involved removing loose cartilage fragments. Her follow-up surgery on Sept. 8th, was to repair both the lateral meniscus and the lateral articular cartilage in her left knee. "Dr. Youmans indicated that Candace's ACL, from her prior surgery in July 2003, was in excellent condition," said Moshak.
Following her senior season, Parker became the first woman ever to win a slam-dunk contest, capturing the PowerAde Jam Fest that was part of the McDonald's High School All-American Game festivities. In the process, she defeated five men, including high-flying New Orleans Hornet J.R. Smith and Connecticut-bound Rudy Gay.
Prior to arriving at UT to start fall classes, Parker led the USA Women's Junior World Championship Qualifying Team to a gold medal in Puerto Rico with a perfect 5-0 record. She led Team USA in virtually every category, tallying 16.6 ppg, 8.8 rpg and held team high-water marks in assists (24), steals (17) and blocked shots (12).
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