WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue soccer redshirt junior Sarah Griffith's career nearly came to an end due to intense back pain, but after having extensive spinal surgery and a long recovery process, she has overcome adversity and is back on the pitch for the Boilermakers.
 
Watch Sarah's inspirational story here.
 
Prior to her sophomore season in 2018, Sarah was diagnosed with Spondylolisthesis, a spinal disorder where vertebra slips forward into the bone below it. Following surgery that fused her spine together and placed four screws, two rods and a cage in her back, Sarah began a recovery process before she returned to the Folk Field pitch as a redshirt sophomore in 2019.
 
Part of Sarah's recovery included refining her sleeping and eating habits. Her commitment to nutrition earned her the Muscle Milk Female Athlete of the Year Award by the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA). Sarah was nominated by Lauren Link, director of sports nutrition at Purdue.
 
Sarah had a highlight-reel return to soccer in 2019, where she started all 20 matches and was second on the team with three goals, three assists, nine points and two game-winning goals. She paced the squad with 36 shots and 20 shots on goal. Her redshirt sophomore season, Sarah helped Purdue earn a Big Ten Tournament berth and a spot in the semifinals thanks to a quarterfinals victory at top-seeded and No. 7-ranked Wisconsin.


 
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