For Immediate Release

January 5, 2012

Written by Matt Dispensa, Adelphi University Sports Information Director

What if you were told that you could not play your sport ever again? While the acceptance of this notion is a difficult task in itself, some may give in and move on with their lives. However, there are some that set out to disprove what they have been told and are determined to get back on the field. Devon Kelly, a senior captain and pitcher on Adelphi's softball team is one of those fighters.

On the morning of November 18, 2007, Kelly and a friend were heading out toward eastern Long Island for a pitching lesson. Due to the last minute location change, she became lost having been unfamiliar with the area. Stopped and waiting at a traffic signal, the light turned green and she proceeded to make a U-turn to get back on the right path. In less than the blink of an eye, a small commercial truck came from the road perpendicular, speeding through his red light and crashing into Kelly's car.

While the details are somewhat blurry, Kelly remembers the fire department's Jaws of Life cutting through her car in order to get her out. "I remember them lifting me out of the car, but I could not feel my legs," Kelly described of the accident. She was rushed to the hospital shortly after where doctors and a medical staff examined her for injuries. She suffered internal bleeding, a bruised liver, damage to her spleen, broken ribs, a broken pelvis, a fractured lower back and had glass lodged in her body. Lucky for her friend, she came away without any serious injury.

At the crash site, due to the impact of the collision, her legs remained on the driver side while her upper body contorted toward the passenger seat, threatening future mobility in her lower extremities. Waking up in the hospital, she checked to make sure she had feeling in her legs; fortunately, she did. Kelly overheard the doctors speaking to her parents about her future. "I remember being told that I would have a lot of chronic problems and that they could not guarantee I would be able to play any physical sports in a serious setting including pitching," Kelly stated. After three weeks of care, Kelly was out of the hospital. Determined to get back in the circle, she began rehabilitation and physical therapy immediately.

She spent several weeks resting and rehabbing her injuries in an attempt to make it back to the team before the start of the season. However, the road to recovery was not an easy one. Internal bleeding made therapy extremely difficult and she and the therapists had to be cautious that her organs were not at risk of further damage as they attempted to strengthen her muscles. Just as persistent in physical therapy, she consistently asked the doctors to be cleared to play. However, she would not be cleared for months due to the severity of the accident.

Kelly did not give up. She kept working hard to recover and grew stronger and stronger with each day that passed. Tenaciously, she pleaded with her physician to be cleared and a day before the first game of her senior year, the Baldwin High School hurler was cleared to play by the doctors but under strict conditions and in a very limited capacity. She would go on to pitch most of the season, holding down the circle as the team's ace and earning her third All-County recognition as well as being named the team captain and Most Valuable Player.

Determined to elevate her game to a higher level, she continued to play over the summer with the Long Island Fire and Ice travel team. After high school, her road to Adelphi was a winding and unexpected one. Due to the accident, her options lessened and she wound up signing with SUNY New Paltz. After just three semesters, the Baldwin, New York, native transferred out to Nassau Community College where she began to look for a school that would be a better fit for her.

While she didn't play there, she played with an Under-23 team in Suffolk County where she met then juniors on Adelphi's softball team, Leighann Bell and Maria Canino. The trio became close and the two Panthers encouraged Kelly to go to Adelphi.

Just a semester later, she landed at Adelphi. "I was familiar with the campus and facilities since my brother, Ryan, went there and played on the lacrosse team," said Kelly. "I visited a bunch of times to watch him play and was able to get a feel for the campus. I am happy that I was able to end up here."

Due to an NCAA Transfer rule, Kelly had to sit out her first year. "It was very hard to sit and watch and not play," described Kelly. "The toughest part was the day they handed out equipment. Everyone received their uniforms, but due to the [NCAA rule], I was not able to get mine. However, I used it as a learning experience and saw it as an opportunity to practice for an entire year with my teammates before getting out there and joining them officially."

"There was never a moment that I thought that I would not be able to play softball again," recalls Kelly. "Not playing was not an option. Rehabbing and physical therapy was a top priority and I knew I had to work hard at it if I wanted to get back out there."

This year, she enters her senior year and first season in a Panther uniform. "Leighann asked me to wear her old number, #1, which means a lot to me since she's one of the reasons I am at Adelphi," Kelly describes. "I pitched the fall game against C.W. Post and it felt great! I felt proud to finally be back on the field, especially in a Panther uniform after a year and a half of practicing without 'playing'."

Expect Kelly to be the Panthers' go-to hurler during the 2012 campaign as they open up the season on March 9 in Kissimmee, Florida at the Rebel Games. "I'm so excited for the start of the season and the Florida Trip!" exclaimed Kelly. "The team is looking great. Everyone works extremely hard and I think we have a great shot at the Northeast-10 Championship. March cannot come any sooner!"