STrib: Maggie Czinano Relishes New Beginning

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Gophers sophomore Maggie Czinano relishes a new beginning after rough year of health

Czinano, one of only three returning players for the Gophers women's basketball team, has developed her game after a season of ailments as a freshman.

www.startribune.com

Kent Youngblood:

Maggie Czinano still has the goggles.

She doesn't wear them, not any more, something she's thankful for every day. They're back at the apartment she and Katie Borowicz share near the University of Minnesota campus as a reminder how difficult things were, and how promising they are now.

Czinano is a sophomore on the Gophers women's basketball team. She is one of three returnees — the others are Borowicz and Rose Micheaux — from last year's squad. She is coming off a strong summer and is in the midst of a strong training camp. She's likely to figure strongly in coach Lindsay Whalen's rotation when the season starts early next month.

"I feel like a completely different player this year,'' Czinano said
[...]
More of a spot-up shooter last year, she has been attacking the rim, finishing, in practice. As her confidence has grown, she has become more of the player she was in high school. Moving without the ball, cutting, attacking.

"I was a big driver in high school,'' she said. "I didn't start shooting the three until my junior year. So that was my game, and I'm finally back to that. I've found my rhythm.''

 

[Longtimegopherfan]

Finally an answer to the question of why Maggie Czinano was on the bench all last season. I wondered why a recruited athlete played so little on a struggling team. I understand confidentiality but it is frustrating as a fan to be so in the dark about what some players are experiencing. I sincerely hope Maggie has a great season. Her positive attitude makes me want her to succeed.

Add this to the earlier Strib article about Katie B. All we knew was she was out for the season with "back surgery." What an ordeal for her! Wish we could know a little more, but a least the Strib enlightens us eventually: When the athlete is ready to talk about it? When the coaching staff thinks it is time?
Excited to see this group on Sunday!

 

[fanfromthevalley]

With HIPPA rules and other confidentiality needs, we're never going to get full details on a player injury or illness. It isn't up to the coaching staff to share private information, nor should they.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

It's not as if Czinano wasn't forthcoming about her issues during the season. Here's what Youngblood wrote in mid-January:

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