Garnet Valley forward Emily Olsen overcame two knee injuries. A college career awaits.

One knee injury usually isa major setback in a basketball career. Two can completely derail an athlete’s path. For Garnet Valley senior Emily Olsen, however, a twice-torn medial patellofemoral ligament in her right knee merely was the start of a winding journey.

It’s a journey that did not end in failure, instead continuing with the fulfillment of her dream — playing college basketball at Randolph-Macon.

“I have been dreaming about playing college basketball since I started weaning off of soccer, then I was like college basketball all the way, that’s where I [wanted] to go,” Olsen said. “I wanted to play for a competitive, strong, winning team, and to see them see my talent and say, ‘She would fit in with us’ is such a great feeling.”

The road was not easy for Olsen.

Her first knee injury came during her freshman soccer season at Garnet Valley, costing Olsen her first basketball season after she underwent surgery to repair the torn ligament.

Olsen gave up soccer and returned to the hardwood as a role player her sophomore season. But five games into a starting role junior season, she tore the same ligament.

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“We were really counting on her being an inside presence for us,” Garnet Valley coach Joe Woods said. “She’s got a nice outside shot, she’s a strong rebounder for us, inside game, and can post up a bit, so we really missed her last season.”

Opting for rehab and physical therapy instead of a second surgery, Olsen focused on strengthening the muscles around her knee and hip to avoid further injuries. It worked. She was back in time for this summer’s AAU season with the Delco Goats and earned the attention of a strong list of college programs.

With 12 appearances in the NCAA Division III tournament, the Yellowjackets certainly fit the bill of a competitive team. They also fit Olsen’s preferred fast-paced style of play and mostly employ man-to-man defense.

Most important, Olsen wanted to find not just a team for the next four years but a family and found just that in Ashland, Va., at Randolph-Macon, where she attended basketball camps for two years.

“I did an overnight, then a couple days after the overnight, I called Coach [Lindsay Burke] and said this is where I wanted to play,” Olsen said. “She just made me feel so welcomed and like I was a part of the team already, and I wanted to play for someone who made me feel like they wanted me there.

“I thought they might take this [second injury] like, ‘Oh, she’s injury-prone’ or something like that, but [Burke] was very good about it, and I got back and it’s been insane.”

Olsen aims to be an FBI agent after her collegiate career. Randolph-Macon serves as a good way to forward her law enforcement ambitions, with its proximity to the FBI Academy near Quantico, Va. (an hour’s drive) and a police department nearby for internships and training. As her coach of the last four seasons, Woods can attest to the type of character the Yellowjackets are getting in the 5-foot-10 forward, on and off the court.

“They’re getting a very hard worker who works hard every day in practice, was elected a captain by her team this year, she’s a leader and excellent student, and they’re going to be very happy that they have her,” Woods said. “She looks to improve every season, looks to improve her game, and she’s a great teammate.”

During her sophomore year, Olsen helped Garnet Valley on its underdog run to a Central League championship, District 1 Class 6A quarterfinal appearance, and state playoff appearance. Despite Olsen’s absence, the Jaguars made a second straight run to the state playoffs a season ago.

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And for a team already boasting offensive firepower in juniors Haylie Adamski and Kylie Mulholland, Olsen contributes something the Jaguars missed during her injury-shortened junior season.

“She’s our second- or third-leading scorer on the team, [and when] teams account for Haylie and try to shut her [or Mulholland] down, she’s just an inside presence, another threat to account for, which we didn’t have as much last year, so it was easier to shut down two or three of our better players,” Woods said. “She’s just another weapon in our arsenal, gives us that inside game, an offensive and defensive rebounder.”

The Jaguars won’t take anyone by surprise this season as one of the favorites in the Central League alongside Conestoga and Haverford High. They’re off to an 11-2 start and a 7-2 mark in the league with losses to the Pioneers and Fords. They should be a factor in the district playoffs once again as well and push for a third straight appearance in states.

“It feels great knowing that people aren’t underestimating us anymore,” Olsen said. “The ‘underdog’ thing I really think stuck with us from last season up until this season, until they were like, ‘Garnet Valley is a team; we need to watch out for them,’ and it just feels great to finally be recognized as one of the top teams in the league.”

Olsen’s career at Garnet Valley didn’t go to plan, but she has taken it in stride, doing her best to contribute what she can to the Jaguars before her next journey begins.

“A lot of ups and downs, obviously, but it feels great to finally be back and not have to worry about it so much that I feel like I’m going to get hurt again,” Olsen said. “It’s just great to play my final season here with my team and everyone and finish with a bang.”

This story was produced as part of a partnership between The Inquirer and City of Basketball Love, a nonprofit news organization that covers high school and college basketball in the Philadelphia area while also helping mentor the next generation of sportswriters. This collaboration will help boost coverage of the city’s vibrant amateur basketball scene, from the high school ranks up through the Big 5 and beyond.