TOWSON, Md. – Overcoming an injury is never an easy feat for a student-athlete, especially a knee injury. But three years ago in the fall of 2014, Brian Bolewicki was facing that challenge after suffering a season-ending injury during fall play.

"It was at practice, just a normal fall ball and I was just dodging from the top of the box and just went to make a cut and blew my knee out. I knew the second I did it that it was really bad," said Bolewicki of his injury. "Immediately I knew I had to get back on the horse. I did rehab for a week then right to surgery."

Despite being a normal fall ball practice, the injury was anything but. Bolewicki tore his ACL and meniscus, had a bone bruise on his tibia and fibula, and fractured another bone.

"Anybody at any point in their career, a high-level athlete or a low-level athlete, suffers a major knee injury like that, it's tough," said head athletic trainer Greg Penczek. "…He really dove into the rehab process. You couldn't have asked for a better person to have in that situation. I've dealt with a lot of different injuries throughout my career and Brian was a believer and a hard worker. His recovery from that, during the six to eight months we worked together… he was fully invested in the process.

The entire fall and spring of 2015 was lost to Bolewicki on the field, but helped to put things into perspective for the then-junior from Cockeysville, Maryland. While rehabbing his injury, Bolewicki continued to stay involved with the program, attending film sessions and helping the midfielders make adjustments.

Since overcoming the knee injury, Bolewicki has had career seasons. During his redshirt junior campaign in 2016, the Calvert Hall College High School graduate finished with nine goals and six assists for 15 points. That same year, he served his first term as a team captain.

"The way he attacked his rehab through his injury and coming back, he came back in great shape, he came back ready to go as far as his mental capacity, he was ready to get back on the field and contribute right away, in his physique and to the team," said sixth-year head coach Shawn Nadelen. "It was great to see the transformation in Brian in regards to the adversity faced in the injury and how that allowed him to put things in better perspective."

His final season with the program has been much of the same. Through the first 10 games of 2017, Bolewicki has put away the same goal and assist total as he did in all 19 games last year. The two-time captain has been a force on the Tigers' second midfield line, including three of the team's seven game-winning goals. Bolewicki has the deciding marker in each of the Tigers' last two Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) wins as well.

"Greg (Penczek) does a great job. He instilled the confidence in me. I think I only wore a knee brace for six months and then once the season came around, I took it off," continued Bolewicki. "The first couple of practices without it is really scary, I won't lie, but you gain confidence so quickly and Greg is the best in the business. He got me back to 100 percent."

This year will look to be a special one for Bolewicki. He has the chance to be on a CAA Championship team for the fourth time in his career, helping Towson win the league tournaments in 2013, 2015 and 2016. By virtue of its 3-0 record in the conference so far, the Tigers have secured a berth in the CAA Tournament for a sixth-straight year, all under the guidance of head coach Shawn Nadelen.

The local product has seen the Tigers reemerge as one of the best teams not only in the CAA, but in the country. The No. 15 Tigers will play their 32^nd straight game ranked in the USILA Coaches' Poll on Saturday at Fairfield for the 3 p.m. conference game.

And Bolewicki has been a key part of the growing success for the Black and Gold; he has been on the sideline for 53 wins since he stepped on campus in the fall of 2012. Since the Tigers elevated to Division I for the 1980 season, the last two graduating classes have won more games than during any other four-year stretch in program history. The class of 2016 finished their storied careers with 46 wins, while this current crop of seniors has seen 43 Towson victories, including a school record 16 last year.

But Bolewicki and the seniors aren't done just yet. The Tigers have two more league games, including a potential regular season championship showdown on April 29 against No. 10 Hofstra, as well as the tournament.

The injury does not bother the midfielder any longer. He can run, sprint and everything else lacrosse related, but the only thing off limits is squatting in the weight room.

"In retrospect before his injury, he wasn't quite reaching his full potential. I think the silver lining with the injury is that it really allowed him to appreciate what it means to be a Towson lacrosse player, what it means to be at your best every day. To have fun and embrace the opportunity every day," said Nadelen, who can attest to the challenge of a knee injury."

For someone who has gone through a season-ending injury, Bolewicki can say with certainty that you never know when your last game will be, so play every game like it's your last.

- TowsonTigers.com –