Danowski undergoes surgery

Attackman Matt Danowski underwent successful surgery on his right foot Tuesday to repair a lisfranc ligament injury suffered last week. The fifth-year senior is expected to be out for at least four months.

Danowski was the best player in the nation in 2007, amassing an ACC-record 96 points-44 goals and 52 assists-and winning the Tewaaraton Trophy. He teamed with senior Zack Greer, who scored 67 goals, to form the second-best scoring duo in NCAA history. The two combined for 190 points and led the Blue Devils to both the regular season and ACC tournament championships.

In Danowski's four years in Durham, the Blue Devils have won two ACC titles and have made two appearances in the NCAA championship game, with Duke finishing as the runner-up to Johns Hopkins both times. Danowski, one of four seniors to exercise their options for an extra year of eligibility, and Greer were expected to lead a veteran-laden squad with NCAA title aspirations in 2008.

"We expect Matt to have a complete recovery," head coach John Danowski said. "Obviously, he'll be out of action for awhile. The healing process begins now, and we have all the confidence in the world that everything will work out for him. You hate for any student-athlete to have an injury of any kind, but we'll march forward in hopes that he'll be ready to go in the spring."

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