The end of the summer after the final year of high school usually brings excitement to the hearts of many new college prospects.

It is the time to discover what it takes to succeed in the big time. But for one young NIU rookie, the anxiety will have to wait for one more year.

Last Tuesday night, NIU tennis recruit Felicia Daffara had her summer vacation end in tragedy, just ten miles from home.

Daffara was on her way to NIU on a two-lane highway from her hometown of Muncie, Indiana. After passing a car that was traveling well under the speed limit, she failed to center the car in her appropriate lane and went off the right side of the road, crashing into three oak trees.

Daffara suffered a ruptured spleen, a collapsed lung and other injuries. She is listed in critical condition in a Muncie Hospital and is expected to return home next week.