Neuqua Valley’s Lorraine Wieshuber beats odds

Lorraine Wieshuber, of Neuqua Valley, grew nearly a foot from the start of fifth grade to the end of sixth grade.

This massive growth spurt made her the tallest girl in her class, a boost for someone who aspired to play college basketball. But it also nearly derailed that dream.

“I was born with a very narrow groove in my kneecap,” Wieshuber said. “The growth spurt caused a lot of tension in my ligaments.

“My IT bands, which run from my hip all the way down to my knee, were under a lot of pressure and didn’t have a lot of time to elongate because my bones grew so fast. So my kneecaps stood up higher than they should have been. In this position, they can pop out very easily.”

Wieshuber began wearing knee braces in middle school, but his kneecaps dislocated regularly. The condition became so severe that he had to undergo surgery to reconstruct his medial patellofemoral ligament during his junior year in January 2023.

Wieshuber returned to action as a sophomore, playing on the Wildcats’ junior varsity team. But bad luck strikes again in a travel game.

“I was going up to rebound, came down and completely destroyed my operation,” she said. “It was a big ligament that they had put in place, and I just tore it.”

Wieshuber’s second reconstructive surgery followed in June 2024.

“After that, the doctor said, ‘I really don’t think it’s a good idea for you to play sports,'” Wieshuber said. “That was really disappointing for me to hear.

“I was dreaming of having my senior night and hopefully playing in college, and all of a sudden they were taken away from me. It was really discouraging.”

But the 6-foot-3 Wieshuber wasn’t ready to give up.

“Basketball was so rewarding for me to play,” she said. “I asked my physical therapist, ‘What can I do to come back?’

“She told me, ‘OK, we’re going to give you a training plan and you’re going to work as hard as you can.'”

Wieshuber did it. Against all odds, the senior center returned to action for the Wildcats (1-3) and played about 10 minutes in the season opener against Glenbard West on Nov. 20.

“I honestly didn’t think I was going to be able to play for Neuqua again,” she said. “I was really proud of myself for being able to get on the field.

“It was also really nice to feel so fit and not afraid of getting injured again. It was great to be part of the team again.”

Neuqua Valley senior guard Nalia Clifford is excited for Wieshuber.

“It’s awesome,” Clifford said. “We went to elementary school together and played basketball together in middle school, so I wanted to play with her again.

“It’s fantastic that she can now be healthy and confident in her legs.”

In fact, Wieshuber no longer wears a corset. She shows her mettle against 6-1 senior center Michayla Stone in practice and wants to get more playing time.

“She’s so big, she’s got the fight in her and she’s aggressive,” Clifford said. “When you’re that big, everyone’s smaller than you. They’ll push you, and she immediately fights back.

“In practice, she’s doing great hoop moves with both hands, baby hooks and she’s coming in strong. I’m really excited for her.”

Neuqua Valley coach Mike Williams is cautiously integrating Wieshuber into the lineup. She played seven minutes in the Wildcats’ game against Stagg at Hinsdale Central’s Thanksgiving Tournament on Nov. 26 and recorded a block and a steal.

“You have to remember she was removed from video games for a few years,” Williams said. “It’s just amazing that she’s coming back physically.

“She’s frustrated, and I know what that’s like. Once you taste something, you want more of it, and she wants to contribute. But she’s a great kid. She has everything in perspective.”

Williams envisions Wieshuber and Stone, a North Central College commit, ultimately providing a one-two punch in the paint.

“I’m definitely the strongest I’ve ever been, which is really good,” Wieshuber said. “I haven’t been able to run like I can since elementary school.”

Wieshuber still believes she can play in college. Clifford doesn’t doubt her.

“Whatever she decides to do, I know she’s going to work hard to be able to do it,” Clifford said. “She also has a great attitude.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance journalist.