February 2, 2006

     Edna Caamano is no quitter.
     But when the Saint Joseph College women's basketball team's senior tri-captain tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee playing a pickup game on campus in West Hartford last June, she was sure her career was over.
     "I got a pass and went in for a layup and when I jump stopped the knee went," Caamano said. "I didn't even get off the ground. I heard the pop. I had hyperextended it before but now I couldn't extend it.
     "I wasn't scared. I went for an MRI and when I found out it was the ACL. I was devastated. I thought it was over. And it was so painful I told myself I would never go on the court again."
     The East Hartford native will never say never again.
     She returned to action Jan. 7 and two weeks later reached the 1,000 point plateau - the third player in Blue Jays history to do so - in a game against Johnson and Wales. The next day she was named the Great Northeast Athletic Player of the Week.
     Caamano, a 5-foot-8 forward, is averaging 14 points and six rebounds per game for Saint Joseph. She had a double-double Wednesday night (12 points, 10 rebounds) as the Blue Jays fell to 9-10 overall with a 50-44 loss to Norwich University.
     "It's just huge to have her back," Saint Joseph coach Kim Martin said. "She's an excellent leader and has been a captain since her sophomore year. Her teammates know how important it was for her to be out there. It was like they were incomplete without her. They love playing with her."
     Caamano, a 2002 graduate of East Hartford High, chose Saint Joseph four years ago because of the educational opportunities and it being close to home.
     She broke into the starting lineup midway through her freshman year and was named to the all-GNAC second team in 2003 and 2005.
     The knee surgery appeared to bring her career to a premature end. But once she returned to school in the fall, it was like a new beginning for her.
     "I realized I missed it too much not to play, especially since it's my fourth year here," Caamano said. "Being around the girls and a new coach, I knew I had to get back. I didn't want to give up that easily. A lot of people have come back from it and I wanted to follow through instead of just quitting.
     "Rehab wasn't fun, but the trainer here at school was great. Everyone helped me out. It wasn't easy. I worked hard because I knew I had to get back. Tearing my ACL and missing the first semester made me love the game even more."
     She began playing in December and took part in pickup games over Christmas break. On Jan. 5 she was cleared for game action and two days later she was in uniform against Stevens Tech. She had 16 points and eight rebounds in 38 minutes.
     "I wasn't expecting to be back until the 24th, so to start earlier was exciting," Caamano said. "The first game I was definitely nervous, but just so happy to be out there."
     Then on Jan. 21, she hit a free throw for her 1,000th point.
     "All net," shesaid with a laugh.
     Caamano is learning to play through the pain and swelling that comes after games. With Saint Joseph playing three games per week, it's tough to get rest.
     Martin estimates that Caamano is about at 80-85 percent back to where she was.
     Her career point total of 1,086 places her third on the Blue Jays' all-time list behind Stacey Manfredi (1,806) and Val Briggs (1,323).
     With well over 600 rebounds, she is in line to become the school's all-time leader - Antonella Maccarone holds the record at 706 - even though she's just 5-8.
     In May, she'll receive her bachelor's degree in psychology and hopes to do graduate work at the University of Hartford. Her plan is to be a bilingual school psychologist in an inner city setting.
     "I want to help the community and help kids and give them someone to talk to," Caamano said. "Growing up in East Hartford and having lived in Hartford, I know what they're going through."
     But while she's looking forward to the future, she also knows that means putting basketball behind her.
     "I know I'll never give up and I've learned so much," Caamano said. "I won't be with my teammates and coaches and I'm going to miss all of this a lot."
     Not as much as the Blue Jays will miss her.