NEWARK, Del. – University of Delaware volleyball senior outside hitter Kelly Gibson, a two-time All-Conference selection, has been sidelined for the remainder of the season after being diagnosed with a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament, an injury which she suffered during the Blue Hens’ season-opener against Cal State Fullerton last weekend.

In the waning moments of the match against the Titans, Gibson (Taos, N.M./Taos) landed awkwardly as she attempted to make a play in the fifth set. After receiving medical attention on the court and over the weekend, she had an MRI this week that revealed the extent of her injury.

Because the injury occurred in the first match of the year, Gibson would be eligible to petition the NCAA for a medical hardship waiver, more commonly known as a medical redshirt. Should she be granted the waiver, she would have one year of collegiate eligibility remaining.

Although a prime candidate for a medical redshirt, Gibson’s future is uncertain right now.

“I haven’t made a definite decision yet,” said Gibson. “I want to wait until I have all the information first. It’s just hard to do at this point.”

A team captain and preseason all-conference selection, Gibson is a big loss for the Blue Hens, who are coming off their first NCAA Tournament appearance last season.

As a junior, she earned third-team All-Conference honors after posting 411 digs and 372 kills. She ranked fifth in the Colonial Athletic Association with a 3.94 kills-per-game average while leading Delaware to its first CAA title and a victory in the first-round of the NCAA Tournament.

Expected to anchor Delaware’s squad as an outside hitter, she entered her senior year as a member of the program’s prestigious 1,000-kill, 1,000-dig club. With her 23 kills on Friday, she improved her career total to 1,232 which moved her into eighth place on the all-time list. Her 1,182 digs also rank ninth in program history.

Prior to this season, Gibson missed only three matches in her career after sitting out at the beginning of last year with a shoulder injury. Although the team went 3-0 with her on the bench, her spot is nearly impossible to fill.

“You don’t fill her shoes,” said head coach Bonnie Kenny. “She was our woman, our 1-A player. She was in every rotation and every play. It’s now a learning experience for everyone else. I have to do a better job of preparing our players from now on.”

Moving forward, the Blue Hens will attempt to fill her void with youth. Along with sophomore Katie Dennehy, freshmen Meghan Bonk, Elena Delle Donne, Cindy Murphy, and Kim Stewart will all see increased action.

Like a true captain, Gibson will be there to assist the team and its players with the transition.

“I’ll still be around,” said Gibson. “My role has changed because some players are used to me being on the court, but I’ll still be at the practices and games. I’ll still be here.”