While fifth-year senior center Sasha Chaplin experienced Senior Day to its fullest Sunday at Assembly Hall, she, along with IU Coach Curt Miller, hinted at the possibility that it isn't her last Senior Day.
When asked what her plans for next year are, Chaplin said, "Hopefully I will be returning to you guys next year."
Miller said that Chaplin is eligible to apply for another medical hardship waiver, and he plans to petition the NCAA for that sixth year of eligibility for Chaplin.
"If you ask me today, we hope, with Sasha's blessing also, that we are applying for a sixth year," he said. "We hope they rubber stamp that and Sasha will go through another senior ceremony next year."
Chaplin has been hampered by injuries since her freshman year in 2008-09, playing in just 88 games during her five-year career.
Her freshman year, she suffered an injury before the calendar even changed to 2009, playing in just eight games. Because of that, she received a medical hardship waiver for the season, granting her an extra year of eligibility.
Next season, she suffered an injury in the middle of the season that caused her to miss 10 games between late December and February 14.
Perhaps her worst season for injuries came in 2010-11, when she suffered a toe injury before the season that forced her to miss the first 10 games, then fell victim to a season-ending knee injury after playing in just two games. She had already received one medical redshirt for her freshman season, so she could not apply for another redshirt at the time. That season, however, is what makes her eligible to petition the NCAA for one more year of eligibility.
Since that injury, Chaplin has remained relatively injury-free, playing in all 30 games in 2011-12, and missing just one game this season due to a concussion.
Chaplin, who stands at 6-4, is the tallest player on the current roster. Next year the team will gain 6-3 forward/center Jocelyn Mousty, who has redshirted this season and 6-1 incoming freshman Lyndsay Leikem.
The other post players who figure into next year's roster are returners Milika Taufa (6-0) and Simone Deloach (6-3).
Miller has said several times this season that Chaplin is the team's best post-scoring option. She has averaged 5.7 points per game this season, and scored a team-high 17 points in Sunday's loss to Minnesota on Senior Day.
