DeKALB — It’s no secret that the women’s basketball team has been hit with the injury bug this season, but redshirt junior forward Renee Sladek has arguably been hit the hardest.

Sladek decided her basketball career is over after coming to the realization that dealing with rigorous pain in her left knee was too much to overcome.

Sladek’s knee problems began when she tore her ACL and medial meniscus in her left knee during a game in her senior year of high school.

She committed to NIU and had an impressive rookie season, averaging 7.1 points per game and 5.3 rebounds. However, a second meniscus tear on her left knee later that season forced her to redshirt her 2015-16 season to recover.

“She’s a tough kid, a great competitor and is a really hard worker,” said Head Coach Lisa Carlsen. “All of those things combined made her a fun kid to coach.”

Coaches and doctors, along with Sladek, decided before this season started that she would likely not be playing basketball anymore.

Early this summer, Sladek physically regressed, as doctors found her bone was rubbing away and there were two holes in the bone.

Sladek said she still struggles with everyday things such as getting herself around to class and other daily activities.

“I still struggle with it a little bit – it’s not great,” Sladek said. “I’m working with coaches doing some rehab stuff to hopefully get back to normal. It’s not like I’m in excruciating pain all the time, but if I try to do things I’m [not used to] doing, it’s painful.”

Even things she’s been used to doing, such as lifting weights and moving around on the basketball court has become too difficult to attempt a return at basketball. Sladek prides herself on being a leader of the team in any way she can.

“I’m the team captain, so I’m able to participate in everything,” Sladek said. “I go to all the practices, meetings, film sessions and am so involved with my team.”

Carlsen said Sladek being named team captain is a testament to the leadership she can bring to a team.

“I think that speaks volumes to what her team thinks of her from a leadership standpoint regardless of what her court status was,” Carlsen said. “They have that much respect for her leadership and how much it means to the team.”

Without the daily physical demands of playing Division I basketball, Sladek said she hopes to improve her physical condition and focus on a career.

“I’m looking forward to being able to get back and do daily activities with comfort and not having to worry about my knee all the time,” Sladek said.

As a speech pathology major, she is planning to go to graduate school and has applied to a program at NIU and programs near her hometown of Merrill, Wisconsin.

“[NIU] would be my ideal spot,” Sladek said. “I’m a fan of the clinic in Sycamore, so I would love to stay here.”

Sladek is moving on from basketball but will always be a big part of NIU’s historic 2016-17 season where the team went 21-12 and qualified for the WNIT tournament, a game that turned out to be her last.

“I don’t think anyone thought we were going to be that successful besides us,” Sladek said. “We all believed and put the work in.”

Sladek said she is very thankful for support she has received from teammates, coaches and the community during her tenure.

“It was so fun to be a part of such an awesome group, and I never would have imagined us in a championship game like that,” Sladek said. “It was a great way to go out.”