STrib: Czinano Sisters On Opposite Sides:

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Minnesota sisters Monika and Maggie Czinano are on opposite sides of Gophers-Hawkeyes rivalry

Monika and Maggie Czinano will draw scores of fans from their hometown when Minnesota squares off with Iowa on Thursday at Williams Arena.

www.startribune.com

Youngblood details some of Maggie's set backs:

f anything, the sisters have grown closer with Maggie off to college. They talk daily, and Monika has been a sounding board for Maggie's difficult season.

Early on, she sprained an ankle. And then she developed an eye infection that threatened the sight in her left eye. Nobody is sure how it happened. But a scratch in the eye allowed bacteria in. At first it felt like there was an eyelash in her eye, bothersome, painful.

"One day I woke up and there was no vision in it,'' she said. "Very scary. Doctors said I was 12 hours away from losing the vision [permanently]. Several doctors visits later I have it back. To this day I have to wear protective eye gear.''

And then Maggie had to deal with a long-term, flu-like illness that was never really diagnosed. There were multiple negative COVID-19 tests, negative flu tests.

Still not 100%, she only recently returned to practice