Fever forward Shyra Ely-Gash to miss the 2012 WNBA season due to torn ACL

The Indiana Fever announced today that forward Shyra Ely-Gash will miss the 2012 WNBA season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament sustained in her left knee two days before training camp.

Ely-Gash, an Indianapolis native, joined the Fever last season. Instead of playing for a seventh WNBA season, she chose to follow a medical advice to repair the ligament.

“Initially we had hoped that she would be OK and it would not be season ending,” said Fever Chief Operating Officer and General Manager Kelly Krauskopf. “However, our team orthopedist, Dr. Stephen Kollias, determined that surgery to repair the ligament was the best course of action at this time. She should make a full recovery and be ready to go next season.”

Ely-Gash averaged over 10 minutes per game while playing in 33 of 34 contests for the Fever in 2011. She missed the 2010 WNBA season due to a ruptured right patellar tendon.