Few student-athletes have had to overcome the amount of adversity which has beset Rice University basketball player Cory Pflieger during his career. Pflieger has had to overcome not one, but two season-ending injuries during his time at Rice.
Back in November of 2007 and just five games into his junior season, Pflieger suffered a torn ligament in his ankle that would sideline him for the rest of the year. He received a medical redshirt and came back to play a full junior season a year later. And then, heading into his senior season last fall, Pflieger suffered what was later diagnosed as a torn anterior cruciate ligament as well as torn meniscus which required surgery and prevented him from playing.
But in the weeks after surgery, which ironically came on the day of the Owls’ 2009-10 season opener against Sacramento State, Pflieger learned of the NCAA’s hardship waiver and the possibility of gaining one final year of eligibility.
“I had heard of a few athletes such as Jordan Shipley at Texas who had received a sixth year,” Pflieger said. “After talking it over with the coaches, I felt I had the opportunity of possibly being granted a sixth year since I didn’t even go through one official practice. Even though it was not guaranteed, I believed I would be back and have a chance to play.”
Pflieger, along with the team’s trainer and team physicians, all had to write letters to the NCAA to request the waiver which granted Pflieger a sixth year to play four seasons of basketball.
Surprisingly, the process took less time than expected. Pflieger received the waiver just a few weeks after submitting his request.
“I really appreciate the NCAA reading the letter I wrote and realizing it wasn’t just a petty attempt to gain another year of college. It was an opportunity to gain another year of life that I didn’t want to miss,” he said. “After getting the waiver, the choice was definitely up to me. I made my decision to come back and then it was up to the coaches to see how I would fit in.
No Regrets
Pflieger’s rehab following surgery is now right at a calendar year. His health is good. He is ready to provide the kind of leadership only a senior can provide.
“If something happened during rehab or something happens during the middle of the season that prevents me from finishing my career – and I don’t expect that to happen knowing how I have worked and trained – I will always know I gave it my best shot. I am not going to give up or quit on myself or my team.”
Even though his past injuries were beyond his control, Pflieger said he felt as if he let his teammates down last year.
As he began rehabilitation for his knee, he proved to be a role model for his teammates. He rehabbed in the training room. He worked out in the weight room at the same time his teammates were there.
“I should have been there for leadership,” he said about last year. “I wanted to prove to my teammates that I wasn’t giving up on them. And I wasn’t giving up on myself as far as playing. I worked as hard as I could every day to show them I still had a positive attitude and was positive about the situation.”
Pflieger is one of four seniors on this year’s squad. With a strong core of returning talent, the Owls will look to improve on last year’s 8-23 record.
Pflieger said he has high expectations for himself as well as this year’s Rice team.
“A lot a people may not feel that way because of the record we had last year,” he said of his expectations. “I feel a lot of the problems we have had in the past were eliminated during the workouts this summer. This team is definitely unified and in the goal we have for this season.
“The theme for the year is ‘Get Better Each Day’ and we have shown that on the court. From the first practice, people were working hard. You could tell from our intensity and how we were communicating, this season is going to be different. We have worked too hard during the offseason and during the preseason to have another disappointing year.”
In the Classroom
One interesting postscript to Pflieger’s story is the uniqueness of being a sixth-year student-athlete at a university the caliber of Rice.
Pflieger graduated from Rice this past spring with a degree in kinesiology. Returning to the classroom this year, the bar was raised when it came to the academic performance. He must maintain a higher grade point average than his teammates to remain eligible for next semester.
His course load also has depth and direction.
In addition to taking business courses which will help in any future endeavors, Pflieger is continuing to take courses which focus on different cultures. His course load includes a modern government course taught by CBS presidential historian and analyst Douglas Brinkley.
“I picked classes which have well-respected professors as well as classes which will help me when I am finished with my career at Rice,” he said. “Douglas Brinkley is a very interesting guy. It is a class you don’t want to miss and you learn something every day. The same with my Modern Arab History course which is taught by Dr. (Ussama) Makdisi.”
