Boone tears ACL again, out for season

GREENSBORO, NC – UNC Greensboro redshirt senior Kristen Boone has torn her right anterior cruciate ligament and will miss the rest of the 2008-09 season, coach Lynne Agee announced Wednesday.

Boone played just three minutes this season, injuring the knee moments into the Spartans' season opener at Virginia Tech. UNCG's starting point guard, Boone had just returned from a torn ACL, medial collateral ligament and lateral meniscus on the same knee, an injury that cost her all but six minutes of the 2007-08 campaign.

Barring being granted a sixth year of eligibility, the latest injury cuts short a career that saw Boone amass 948 points, 321 assists and 299 rebounds. The Upper Marlboro, MD, native is UNCG's all-time steals leader with 315, and is the only player in program history with more than 300. She's fourth in program history in free throws made (313) and sixth in free throws attempted (408). She stands ninth on the UNCG career assists chart.

Boone is a two-time All-Southern Conference performer, a four-time Preseason All-SoCon pick and was the Preseason SoCon Player of the Year prior to the 2006-07 campaign. She was an All-Freshman Team selection in 2004-05.

"Obviously we're devastated to lose a player of Kristen's caliber," Agee said. "To have her outstanding career cut short in the last two years is a very disappointing and sad end to a career. We clearly miss her energy and leadership ability and her defensive presence. She has brought national recognition to our program, and we thank her for that. She obviously has contributed to our success over the last five years."

The Spartans put together a 52-36 record in Boone's first three seasons before slumping to 7-24 last season without her.

UNCG, off to a 1-2 start this season, hosts the UNCG Marriott Classic this weekend, as Winston-Salem State, Bowling Green and Florida Gulf Coast will be in town for the two-day event. Winston-Salem State and Bowling Green play at 1 p.m. Friday, followed by UNCG and Florida Gulf Coast at 3. WSSU and FGCU play Saturday at 1 p.m. with UNCG and Bowling Green wrapping up the tournament at 3.

- UNCG -