06/16/2026
“I’m just happy I can practice. I’m physically capable at this point. And then I think that also reflects how I am as a teammate. When someone talks down [about themselves], instead of agreeing with them, I say, ‘hey, don’t say that. You don’t know where you could be.'”
Ava’s journey is one of true resilience. Over the course of her athletic career, she faced not one, but multiple major setbacks, including ACL injuries in both knees and meniscus surgeries that demanded time, discipline and mental strength to overcome.
Each time, she made the decision to keep going. Rehab wasn’t easy, but Ava committed fully to the process. She showed up day after day, putting in the work, trusting her progress and staying focused on her goal of getting back on the track. And when she returned, she qualified for the state track meet in the 100-meter dash following her third knee surgery, proving that her determination was just as strong as her physical recovery.
Ava leads by example, bringing positivity, accountability and a level of perseverance that pushes everyone around her to be better.
Her story is a reminder that setbacks don’t define you. The way you respond does. We’re proud to support athletes like Ava as they continue to chase their dreams!
Video transcript
Freshman year, started playing basketball and I tore my ACL at the end of the season. This was my right ACL. Wanted to return to basketball because I always had the dream of playing college basketball.
So the next season, fought to get back — recovered — in time for the start of the next season. So, my sophomore year, just to tear my left ACL only three games into the season.
I had to make the decision at the start of my junior year not to return, just because I wanted to focus on track, which I had been robbed of the first two years. During conditioning for that, I tore my right meniscus. So then I had to get surgery for that. I was only 6 weeks so short of recovery. So I was able to be there for most of the track season last year.
Fought my way to state and ran in the 100 there. And then this last year, this past January actually, I had my left meniscus, surgery on that.
And now I’m back for the season. Hopefully going to make it to state running 100 and 4×100. I think at moments I definitely would just get in the dumps and be like, ‘I’m sick of having to deal with this.’ I mean, not only once, but like after multiple times, it just became repetitive and I’m just happy I can practice. I’m physically capable at this point.
I think that also reflects how I am as a teammate. Like now, if I hear my teammate talking down instead of agreeing with them, I’m kind of like, hey, like, don’t say that. Like, you don’t know where you could be.
I just feel like recovering athletes don’t necessarily get all of the acknowledgement that they deserve. It’s kind of looked past sometimes. So, I’m glad I could represent that for like everyone and just what it means to like push through and keep going. So, it feels honored to like receive [the Comeback Athlete Award] and be known for that.
