Ally Wernik rebounds back from injury

The offseason can be a grueling process for some, and that can certainly be said about the Rowan women’s cross country team. Fresh off their first trip to Nationals, the expectation throughout the summer was to replicate last season’s success. But for junior, Ally Wernik, the road back would be tougher than most. 

Wernik suffered a patellar malalignment, an injury where the kneecap is fully misaligned, at the end of the indoor track & field season last March. An injury like this certainly comes with a challenging road back, and Wernik was honest that it wasn’t an easy feat.

“I’m not gonna say it’s been the easiest process,” Wernik said. “It’s been hard mentally, physically getting back into it.”

Wernik credited her teammates and coaches for keeping her on the right track through the tough process back.

“I have coaches and teammates who support me no matter what,” Wernik said. “They just wanna see me get better, and obviously, still being able to compete at a high level has its ups and downs after an injury. I feel like the coaches do their very best to protect us from ourselves.”

Wernik’s tough work through the rehabilitation process has paid off early in the season despite her recovery still ongoing, placing ninth at the Salisbury Fall Classic and seventh at the Osprey Open. Not just individual success, but team success that will come into play when it’s time to defend their New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship. 

Wernik reflected on what’s going to be important down the road for her and the team to find more postseason success.

“Besides (my) injury, just maintain that positive mentality during the race and bring my teammates along with that,” Wernik said. “I think as we get towards championship season, some of those nerves can creep in, and that’s sometimes where it makes or breaks matches.

Head coach Shedrick Elliott III complimented Wernik and her efforts getting back to running, and felt her mentality in the face of the expectations she handled very well.

“I think she’s been doing a phenomenal job with her rehab process,” Elliott III said. “I think she’s handled expectations in an admirable way. Knowing what she’s capable of, and I could say this really for any athlete. It can be hard when you know you’ve done this before, but you’re here because of an injury. I feel like she’s handled that process as well as anyone could.”

Wernik’s recovery process comes as a victory as the season continues to reach the tough stretch.  Their next race is this Friday, Oct. 3, as they head to Lehigh University to participate in the Paul Short Run. Elliott III said this run is a step up in competition and will test the team and what they’ve been working on.

“It’s still doing the best we can do to maintain a tighter pact,” Elliott III said. “Knowing that the spread can get spread out due to the large quantity of young ladies competing, but at the same time, if we can stay close, particularly from two through five, I think that puts us in a great spot.”