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News Release
Melissa Book to Sit Out Remainder of 2007-08 Women’s Basketball Season
1/18/2008
 Melissa Book led the America East with a .550 three-point shooting percentage at the time of her injury. |
BALTIMORE—UMBC junior guard and team co-captain Melissa Book (Raleigh, N.C./Millbrook) will sit out the remainder of the 2007-08 season and will apply for a medical hardship waiver to recover a year of eligibility. Book suffered a concussion early in the season and his missed the Retrievers’ last nine games, as she has not played since Nov. 28 at NJIT.
Because of her previous history of severe concussions – she suffered four in high school – Book was advised by team physicians not to continue playing this season.
“I feel terribly for Melissa,” UMBC head coach Phil Stern said. “She was playing the best basketball of her career, but we were looking out for her best interest and well-being in the future.”
A top reserve, Book averaged 6.1 points and 2.0 rebounds in 21.0 minutes per game off the bench through the first seven games of the season. She was shooting a team-best 48.0 percent (12-for-25) from the field and 55.0 percent (11-for-20) from 3-point range at the time of her injury. She led the America East in 3-point field goal percentage, and she ranked ninth in the league with 1.57 trifectas made per game. In addition, Book was nearly perfect from the free throw line at 88.9 percent (8-for-9).
Book was named the America East Player of the Game on Nov. 16 against James Madison, when she scored a career-high 14 points on 4-of-4 shooting, with all four field goals coming form long distance.