NEW YORK -- He had every excuse -- a season-ending knee injury, his
collegiate career likely ending, two degrees already earned -- to let
the studies slide some during the fall semester.
Instead, through dealing with a variety of emotions, through
reconstructive surgery, through rehab, Notre Dame tri-captain Tim
Abromaitis earned a 4.0 grade-point average.
He last played in a college basketball game days before Thanksgiving
and did not appear in one Big East contest after suffering the
season-ending knee injury. But Abromaitis made league history Tuesday
at Madison Square Garden. He became the first player in conference
history to earn a third consecutive scholar-athlete award.
"In Notre Dame's history, we've had a lot of great student-athlete
ambassadors," said coach Mike Brey. "There isn't a better one in any
sport in our history than this guy.
"No one's ever going to win this award three times."
Abromaitis hauled home his third gold basketball trophy as a reward.
One sits in his bedroom back in Unionville, Conn.; another is
downstairs. This one may find a place somewhere back in South Bend at
the off-campus apartment he shares with teammate Scott Martin.
collegiate career likely ending, two degrees already earned -- to let
the studies slide some during the fall semester.
Instead, through dealing with a variety of emotions, through
reconstructive surgery, through rehab, Notre Dame tri-captain Tim
Abromaitis earned a 4.0 grade-point average.
He last played in a college basketball game days before Thanksgiving
and did not appear in one Big East contest after suffering the
season-ending knee injury. But Abromaitis made league history Tuesday
at Madison Square Garden. He became the first player in conference
history to earn a third consecutive scholar-athlete award.
"In Notre Dame's history, we've had a lot of great student-athlete
ambassadors," said coach Mike Brey. "There isn't a better one in any
sport in our history than this guy.
"No one's ever going to win this award three times."
Abromaitis hauled home his third gold basketball trophy as a reward.
One sits in his bedroom back in Unionville, Conn.; another is
downstairs. This one may find a place somewhere back in South Bend at
the off-campus apartment he shares with teammate Scott Martin.
