Sophie Tirtiaux, an Illinois State University freshman forward who missed virtually all of the 2001-02 season with a stress fracture in her right leg, is sidelined with another stress fracture in the same leg.
Yvonne Logan, Illinois States athletic trainer for womens basketball, said that the fracture is not the same one which kept Tirtiaux out of action last year.
Sophie will be following up with doctors in the future, but for now, she will probably be on crutches for four to six weeks, said Logan.
Tirtiaux, a native of Belgium, played in 11 of the first 12 games this season for the Redbirds and started the season opener at Western Michigan. She averaged 2.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game. She received a medical hardship waiver for the 2001-02 season after appearing in just one game before the previous stress fracture ended her season.
The loss of the versatile Tirtiaux--who had played both a post position and a wing spot--shortens the Redbird bench and Illinois State coach Jenny Yopp hopes Tirtiaux can return.
Its too bad this had to happen when Sophie was growing, developing and contributing more to the team all the time, said Yopp. I hope she can come back because she has such tremendous passion for the game.
The Redbirds first game without Tirtiaux will be against Southwest Missouri State at 7:05 p.m. Thursday in Redbird Arena.
