A normal practice session last season turned into a nightmare for fifth year Owls point forward Breana Turner.

Nine months later, she stands in line at Dunkin’ Donuts to order glazed Munchkins, recalling the agonizing moments that led to a painful knee injury that sidelined her for the entire season.

Early into the eighth practice session, Turner tried to make a break to the basket for a layup on a one-on-one situation. Instead of finishing the easy shot, she instead landed on her knee in an awkward position.

Seconds later, Turner screamed in sheer pain as she layed helpless on the court.

“I actually heard it pop. That’s when I knew something was wrong with my knee,” Turner said. “[I thought to myself] ‘It’s my senior season, this can’t be happening to me.’”

Turner, a Hurricane Katrina survivor, had yet another major obstacle to overcome in tearing her anterior cruciate ligament and medial meniscus — knee cartilage.

According to Tarek Souryal, a physician at the Texas Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Group, the ACL is one of four main ligaments in the knee and is the primary stabilizer.

“It’s the smallest of the four, but it serves the most important function in stabilizing the knee for rotational movement,” Souryal said. “When you cut to change direction, that’s when the ACL comes into play.”

Subsequently, she retained another season on her scholarship due to a medical hardship leave. With months after months of recovery time, all eyes are set on Turner to see if she will be able return in full form prior-injury for her fifth and final year as a Lady Owl.

One of her teammates, junior forward Chenise Miller, is looking forward to seeing Turner return to the courts after the unexpected hiatus.

“I haven’t got a chance to play with her,” Miller said. “So I’m really excited for the season.”

Road to FAU

Turner’s journey to FAU began as a young tomboy growing up in New Orleans, La. She tried her hand at a combination of sports like softball and track, but it wasn’t until she was introduced by her older brother to basketball that she knew it would capture her heart.

“I fell in love with it, and it became my passion,” Turner said.

Turner looked up to her brother and realized if she wanted to become a good basketball player, she had to go through him first.

“I always wanted to beat my brother,” Turner said. “So I always wanted to get better and better and that [motivated] me.”

Turner found herself using the motivation once derived from competitive pick-up games on the neighborhood courts with her brother as the common theme for what was to come.

When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, it devastated Turner. The aftermath forced her to relocate hundred of miles west of home to Katy, Texas — a little town outside of Houston.

She became disconnected with her family and everything she knew back home due to the severe aftermath of the hurricane.

Four months after having difficulty adjusting to life in Katy, Turner moved back home in her junior year of high school, but when she returned home it wasn’t the same way she had left it.

“You can go in parts of the city and see the lines and the X’s of homes where people died,” Turner said. “It is just depressing.”

Turner, however, didn’t allow this to set her back. During her senior season at De La Salle High School, she played so well she had a number of colleges recruiting her.

University of New Orleans, Tulane, South Alabama, University of Louisiana-Lafayette among countless other schools, including Sun Belt conference schools, were on the recruiting trail.

However, it was Turner’s high school coaches and trainer who convinced Chancellor Dugan, then head coach at FAU, to watch her play. It was Dugan’s consistent recruiting effort that played a crucial role in Turner deciding to spend her basketball career at FAU.

“Ever since Dugan [scouted me, FAU] has been to every last one of my high school and AAU games,” Turner said. “No other coach has done that.”

Roadblock 

For the whole season, Turner could only watch, cheering on her teammates as she wore a boot.

“I was very depressed,” said Turner. “I’ve never in my whole life went a year without playing basketball.”

It was this season when Turner had to truly push herself to not quit basketball.

“Traveling with the team and seeing them play, but not playing with them,” Turner said of her biggest frustration. “I’m thankful that I was able to travel with my team, especially to see Terri [Stamps] because I came in with Terri and we were supposed to go out together.”

The road ahead 

Turner will have a new head coach to impress this season. Turner is trying to regain her old form to earn a consistent role in head coach Kellie Lewis-Jay’s rotation. Turner already has some things working in her favor.

“She’s got the most experience on the team, she knows the conference,” Lewis- Jay said. “She knows what it takes.”

Now, Turner is back fully recovered and has one clear team goal in mind as she embarks on her final stint at FAU.

“I just want to win the Sun Belt [Conference] Championship before I leave here,” Turner said. “I just want to win this year. That’s all. I just want to win.”