2008 Woodie Awards
Coming back strong
Recovering from injuries, SIUE grad student Matt Budenholzer is ready to play
Tony Patrico
Issue date: 9/27/07 Section: Sports
Coming back from injury is a tough thing for an athlete. For SIUE graduate student Matt Budenholzer, coming back from an injury is additional pressure alongside transferring to a new school.
Budenholzer, who has previously attended classes on the campuses of Butler University, University of Missouri-Columbia and Columbia College, played soccer at the collegiate level at Butler and Columbia College, as well as playing for the nationally successful Scott Gallagher Soccer Club. Now, attending SIUE, he will play his final year of eligibility in the Cougar backfield.
Budenholzer, while attending Chaminade College Prepatory School in St. Louis, helped his team win two state championships, as well as bring Chaminade the 2001 High School National Championships. His choice of attending SIUE was two-fold.
"The good soccer is definitely foremost on my list of reasons," Budenholzer said. "But the proximity to home is another. SIUE has a lot of alumni still around, which brings a feeling of pride around events."
While adjusting to the new surroundings, Budenholzer is also stepping onto the field hoping to avoid injury. The aches and pains from a badly-pulled hipflexor, a torn meniscus, which took surgery to fix, and surgery to insert a screw to fix a broken foot, Budenholzer was struck by injury before his Cougar debut this season.
"It's tough coming back mentally, not necessarily physically," Budenholzer said. "Watching your teammates playing while you can't for prolonged periods of time is pretty depressing."
Joining Budenholzer for the Cougars on the defensive side of the action, is junior Zach Bauer. Bauer spoke of the passion and the experience that Budenholzer possesses will be very beneficial to the team. The two bring a very interesting style of play in the backfield.
"We will be good together because we both bring a different aspect to the backline, which is what our back four needs," Bauer said. "Our attributes will complement each other real good."
Budenholzer, who has previously attended classes on the campuses of Butler University, University of Missouri-Columbia and Columbia College, played soccer at the collegiate level at Butler and Columbia College, as well as playing for the nationally successful Scott Gallagher Soccer Club. Now, attending SIUE, he will play his final year of eligibility in the Cougar backfield.
Budenholzer, while attending Chaminade College Prepatory School in St. Louis, helped his team win two state championships, as well as bring Chaminade the 2001 High School National Championships. His choice of attending SIUE was two-fold.
"The good soccer is definitely foremost on my list of reasons," Budenholzer said. "But the proximity to home is another. SIUE has a lot of alumni still around, which brings a feeling of pride around events."
While adjusting to the new surroundings, Budenholzer is also stepping onto the field hoping to avoid injury. The aches and pains from a badly-pulled hipflexor, a torn meniscus, which took surgery to fix, and surgery to insert a screw to fix a broken foot, Budenholzer was struck by injury before his Cougar debut this season.
"It's tough coming back mentally, not necessarily physically," Budenholzer said. "Watching your teammates playing while you can't for prolonged periods of time is pretty depressing."
Joining Budenholzer for the Cougars on the defensive side of the action, is junior Zach Bauer. Bauer spoke of the passion and the experience that Budenholzer possesses will be very beneficial to the team. The two bring a very interesting style of play in the backfield.
"We will be good together because we both bring a different aspect to the backline, which is what our back four needs," Bauer said. "Our attributes will complement each other real good."
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