Wisconsin: Junior forward Malayna Johnson to miss 2015-16 season due to torn ACL

From Wisconsin:

Wisconsin women’s basketball forward Malayna Johnson suffered a tear to her anterior cruciate ligament during practice and will miss the entire 2015-16 season, head coach Bobbie Kelsey announced Wednesday.

Johnson, who played in all 29 games last season, will have two seasons of eligibility remaining after her redshirt season. She is expected to undergo surgery in late October.

“It is extremely sad that we will not have Malayna on the court for us this season,” Kelsey said. “She made such tremendous improvements and was really coming into her own before tearing her ACL. Having experienced losing several players to this devastating injury in our program during my tenure here, we are crushed that Malayna will have to sit out the year.

“However, we will continue to strive to do everything within our power to train, strengthen and proactively seek out all resources available to us so that no one else will have to go through this again.”

Last season, Johnson averaged 13.8 minutes per game and 4.0 points per game. She scored in double figures in one game, a career-high 14 points at Minnesota on Feb. 11. The Bellwood, Illinois, native ranked third on the team with a .455 field goal percentage in 2014-15.

“Malayna is a strong-willed, determined and focused young lady who will undoubtedly attack her rehabilitation with the same tenacity she has used to become the player that she wanted to be this season,” Kelsey said. “She will be in the excellent care of our team doctors and trainer to make a full and speedy recovery.”