David Cole, a psychology major and NJCU’s leading three-point shooter for the men’s basketball team suffered an ACL injury ending his 2014 season. After rehabbing the injury over five months, Cole was back to playing basketball and netted 17 points in NJCU’s season opening game. The Gothic Times sat down with Cole and asked him about his injury and his journey back to the court.

Q: How did you blow out your knee?

A: When I went up on a layout, and I came down. It just popped.

Q: What was your mindset when it happened?

A: “Not again,” because the same thing happened with my right knee in high school. I looked at it as a blessing in disguise.

Q: What did you do to regain strength in your knee?

A: I rehabbed every single day by strengthening and conditioning before and after the surgery of both knees.

Q: How did you feel after you heard that you can be back on the court again?

A: It was a great feeling because I love basketball. It’s always been a part of my life.

Q: What are you doing to prevent it from happening again?

A: I’m still strengthening and conditioning every day.

Q: What advice do you have for other basketball players if this happened to them?

A: Try to stay positive because everything is mental – before and after surgery. Just believe you can do it and maintain the right work ethic.