Biography
By Jim Hague
It takes a lot of soul searching, dedication and determination to withstand missing most of two full women’s college basketball seasons due to two severe injuries to the same knee.
But that’s what Rutgers-Newark sophomore guard Kristen Venning has done.
A lot of other Division III athletes, playing without the benefit of a scholarship, would have walked away after suffering two injuries like Venning did in each of the last two seasons.
But Venning is not like any other college athlete.
“When she was out, she stayed in the gym almost every day,” Rutgers-Newark head women’s basketball coach Kevin Morris said. “Kristen came to every practice, every game. She wanted to be there. We knew that she wanted to stick it out.”
“It was very frustrating, because I wanted to play so badly,” Venning said.
Venning came to Rutgers-Newark from Clifton High School two years ago, after excelling in both basketball and track and field at Clifton. But before she could even step on the court for the Scarlet Raiders, she suffered a torn meniscus in her right knee, forcing her to miss the entire season as a medical redshirt.
“It was the longest time I had been without playing basketball in my life,” said Venning, whose father, Chris Venning, and brother, Akim Neverson, both played college basketball. “I didn’t get to practice or do anything.”
So when the 2009-10 season was starting, Venning was eager to get back on the court. However, just five games into the new campaign, disaster struck again.
“We were playing in a tournament and I went for a steal and I heard it snap,” Venning said.
It was the same knee, same injury, but this time, Venning decided against surgery and rehabilitated the injury instead.
“But I missed most of the season,” Venning said. “It was important for me to come back and finish the season.”
However, by the time Venning returned to action, the Scarlet Raiders were sputtering and Venning was nowhere near 100 percent.
“I love basketball and didn’t want to stop playing,” Venning said. “I wanted to come back.”
Venning only played nine games last season, so it was fair to say she was chomping at the bit to start the 2010-11 season, especially since the Scarlet Raiders were much improved over the team that won just eight games last year.
“I was really looking forward to the season a lot,” Venning said. “I was looking forward to it for Coach (Morris), because last year was so tough. I really wanted to have a good season for him.”
Venning played an important role for the Scarlet Raiders, because she was one of only three players returning from last year, with Jared Tactuk and Samantha Grippo being the others.
“Actually, it’s more like two-and-a-half,” Venning laughed. “I’m the half. I don’t think what I did counts.”
But Morris knew.
“We needed all the experience we could get,” Morris said. “Kristen knew the offense. She might have only played nine games in two years, but she was a valuable resource for us, because of her experience. There are a lot of little things that an experienced player brings.”
The results have been excellent so far. The Scarlet Raiders own an impressive 9-1 record and Venning is a major reason for the success.
She’s currently averaging 7.1 points per game and surprisingly leads the team in rebounding at 7.3 per game, quite an impressive statistic for a point guard.
“We do have some of the best rebounding guards I’ve seen, but Kristen is as capable at rebounding as anyone,” Morris said. “She’s great in that respect.”
“I like getting in there and rebounding,” Venning said. “It’s fun.”
Venning doesn’t think she’s recovered 100 percent from her injuries.
“It takes time to get all the way back,” Venning said. “I don’t want to think like I’m going to hurt it again. I’m working on it.”
But Morris believes Venning has fully recovered.
“I don’t see any problems,” Morris said. “She’s 100 percent in my eyes. She’s been very good all year.”
Venning has an effervescent personality. She’s always smiling and having a good time.
“Maybe she does that a little too much,” Morris said. “But she never has bad moments. She’s always upbeat and happy.”
“We’ve become a family,” Venning said. “We hang out together, study together, do everything together. I like this team. We believe we can win and that’s the biggest thing. I’ve been able to play a nice string of games. I just want to keep it going.”
Venning is majoring in psychology and biology at Rutgers-Newark. She plans on becoming a nurse when her college days are through.
“Maybe a therapist working with kids in a high school,” Venning said.
For now, Venning is happy to be a member of the Scarlet Raiders -- a happy and healthy member at that.
“I just want to remain a part of the fun,” Venning said. “It was so hard to sit and watch the last two years. I just want to keep playing. Every day, I hope and pray that I don’t hurt myself again, because I never want to be away from playing ever again.”
