Summer Hemphill was ascending as one of the best players in the Mid-American Conference at the end of her junior year.

She was a 2nd team All-MAC selection by averaging 14.5 points per game and 10.3 rebounds per game. Hemphill elevated even higher during the 2019 MAC Tournament, grabbing a tourney record 21 rebounds in the Bulls championship game victory. Things didn't slow down in the NCAA tourney, with a team-high 23 points in UB's opening round win over Rutgers.

But Hemphill wouldn't play in another game for 21 months after suffering a knee injury prior to the 2019-20 season and COVID pushing the start of this campaign to early December.

"Of course there's pain," Hemphill said of the injury. "Of course there was a lot of different uncomfortable things going on with me. On my legs, I've never had a surgery, so that was a different experience for me."

Hemphill rehabbed and made the decision to return for a redshirt senior season, but after just two games, her knee suffered a setback that kept Summer out another two months.

"She's one of those quiet people," UB head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said. "She loves to keep things close to her vest. But you can look in her eyes and tell she was in wonderment. Is this for me? Is it worth it? Should I continue on? And we had to go through that too."

"There's times where I'm like 'Why me? Why do I have to go through this?," Hemphill admitted. "But I wouldn't focus on that because I know if you start thinking about negative aspects of everything, it just gets you deeper and deeper into a hole."

Hemphill leaned on many to help her power through, including Legette-Jack, who also lost a season due to a knee injury while playing at Syracuse.

The path back to basketball was tough and often was away from the court entirely. Hemphill focused on weaknesses she could improve, like upper body an core strength.

But the biggest step forward was with her leadership.

"Before this, I wouldn't necessarily talk or I would just be about my actions," Hemphill said. "But I've become more comfortable with using my voice and knowing that I'm not one of the youngins on the team anymore. I'm older and I have to be that vocal for the team and use my voice more and be comfortable with that. Of course it was a process getting used to that stuff, but overall I'd say I'm more vocal, not just on the court, but off the court too."

Hemphill finally back on the court, returning to action February 24th. Her minutes have gone up in each of the 3 games she's played, notching a double-double in just her 2nd game back.

Now Summer's attention shifts back to where she last made her biggest mark, the MAC Tournament in Cleveland.

"Definitely the same goals," Hemphill said. "Just because I'm hurt, I'm not having that mindset where I have to dumb down to a different level or play to my new circumstances. I've been putting in the work in rehab. I've been putting in work in the gym. Doing a lot of things to get myself back so definitely high expectations."

And with number 0 back in the line-up, expectations for the entire Bulls team are also high.

"She is the face of what we're trying to build off of," Legette-Jack said. "She's a top 20 player in her position, in my opinion, and to have her removed, you got to figure out how to win without a lot. One game in February at home. 13 road games. Losing four games by under six points. You don't lose those games with that type of kid out there because she's a soldier. Not to disrespect what soldiers do, but just to give you an idea. To have her back, it gives you hope that if it's a close game, we find a way to win because Summer Hemphill's on the floor."

The UB women begin MAC tournament play Wednesday afternoon as the 4-seed Bulls play the 5-seed Kent State.