Senior volleyball player Matt Denmark, his parents and a team trainer were in a car crash that sent all four to the hospital Saturday night. The accident happened two hours before the Cardinals were set to start a home match against Lewis.
Denmark suffered cuts and bruises on his shins from the collision and was released from Ball Memorial Hospital around 10:30 p.m. Saturday. The trainer, junior Mike McCarthy, had cuts on his shins and severe bruising on his shoulder and thighs from the seat belt.
Paramedics had to cut the car metal to get Denmark's father, Don, out of the vehicle. He suffered a broken collar bone, but was also released Saturday night.
As of Sunday night, Denmark's mother, Anne, remained in the hospital. According to men's volleyball head coach Joel Walton, doctors think she has broken ribs, a ruptured eardrum and swelling in her head.
Denmark's parents were in town from Edmond, Okla., for the volleyball team's parents' weekend. As the four were driving home from the team banquet at MCL Cafeteria at about 4.45 p.m., the Denmark's rented Mazda 626 was rear-ended.
The impact pushed the car into on-coming traffic causing a head-on collision with a Chevy Blazer. The accident occurred as the car was headed south on Wheeling between Neely and Riverside.
The team got word of the accident as it was warming up for the game Saturday. Walton said the team was shaken by the news.
"Our team has always been a really close group of guys," Walton said. "When I told them, there were guys in the locker room crying and holding their heads."
Not only did the Cardinals have to play a volleyball game hours after getting word of Denmark's accident, but it was one of their biggest games of the year. Lewis was picked in preseason polls to finish second behind Ball State in the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association.
"Lewis was one of our highlighted dates," Walton said. "We left the parents' banquet feeling good and we just had all that emotion sucked from us. We worried (about the Denmarks) as the match was progressing. We had trouble staying focused."
The Cardinals lost to Lewis in straight sets and had many errors in the game. Walton said it was the worst he'd seen the team pass all season, that it served poorly and was out of sync.
Walton has told Denmark to take as much time off as he needed to spend with his family. Walton said Don, who is a doctor, told him that Anne could be in the hospital until Thursday. Even if that is the case, Walton said Denmark's injuries should keep him out of Ball State's next game, at home versus Quincy on Saturday.
"From what I saw and the way (Denmark) was walking Saturday, I'd be surprised if he played this weekend," Walton said.
As for the rest of the team, Walton said it is recovering and trying to deal with the accident. He said this week's practice will help the team move on and prepare to play volleyball again.
"It's going to be a lot easier as time heals all of us," Walton said. "We're working to regroup. We're going to rebound from this."Men's senior volleyball player Matt Denmark, his parents and a team trainer were in a car collision that sent all four to the hospital Saturday night. The accident happened two hours before the Cardinals were set to start a home match against Lewis.
Denmark's parents were in town from Edmond, Okla., for the volleyball team's parents' weekend. As the four were driving home from the team banquet at MCL Cafeteria at about 4.45 p.m., the Denmark's rented Mazda 626 was rear-ended.
The impact pushed the car into on-coming traffic causing a head-on collision with a Chevy Blazer. The accident occurred as the car was headed south on Wheeling between Neely and Riverside.
Matt Denmark suffered cuts and bruises on his shins from the collision and was released from Ball Memorial Hospital around 10:30 p.m. Saturday. The trainer, junior Mike McCarthy, had cuts on his shins and also severe bruising on his shoulder and thighs from the seat belt.
Paramedics had to cut the car metal to get Denmark's dad, Don, out of the vehicle. He suffered a broken collar bone, but was also released Saturday night.
As of Sunday night, Denmark's mom, Anne, remained in the hospital. According to men's volleyball head coach Joel Walton, doctors think she has a few broken ribs, a ruptured eardrum and swelling in her head.
The team got word of the accident as it was warming up for the game Saturday. Walton said the team was shaken by the news.
"Our team has always been a really close group of guys," Walton said. "When I told them, there were guys in the locker room crying and holding their heads."
Not only did the Cardinals have to play a volleyball game hours after getting word of Denmark's accident, but it was one of their biggest games of the year. Lewis was picked in preseason polls to finish second behind Ball State in the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association.
"Lewis was one of our highlighted dates," Walton said. "We left the parents' banquet feeling good and we just had all that emotion sucked from us. We worried (about the Denmarks) as the match was progressing. We had trouble staying focused."
The Cardinals lost to Lewis in straight sets and had many errors in the game. Walton said it was the worst he'd seen the team pass all season, that it served poorly and was out of sync.
Walton has told Denmark to take as much time off as he needed to spend with his family. Walton said Don, who is a doctor, told him that Anne could be in the hospital until Thursday. Even if that is the case, Walton said Denmark's injuries should keep him out of Ball State's next game, at home versus Quincy on Saturday.
"From what I saw and the way (Denmark) was walking Saturday, I'd be surprised if he played this weekend," Walton said.
As for the rest of the team, Walton said it is recovering and trying to deal with the accident. He said this week's practice will help the team move on and prepare to play volleyball again.
"It's going to be a lot easier as time heals all of us," Walton said. "We're working to regroup. We're going to rebound from this."
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