Danario Alexander University of Missouri junior wide receiver Danario Alexander will have surgery Monday to repair a re-torn ACL ligament in his left knee – the same knee that he injured in the 2007 Big 12 Championship game. 

Alexander initially tore the same ligament, and had resulting meniscus damage in the knee as part of that injury last December, but had successful surgery in the off-season and was fully cleared to practice toward the tail end of Mizzou’s recent spring practice period. 

The re-injury was discovered earlier this week, after Alexander presented with swelling and discomfort in his knee.  An MRI exam was ordered, showing that the ACL graft (taken from a human cadaver) had re-torn.  Rex Sharp, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Medicine, said that it isn’t clear just what happened to cause the second incident.

"We’re really not sure how or when it happened, and Danario can’t pinpoint one precise moment when he felt something was wrong," said Sharp.  "We know that he was doing great with his rehab work during the spring and was ready to have a great summer in preparation for the season, and this is a really unfortunate situation," he said.

Sharp indicated that a potential timetable for Alexander’s return could see him back in uniform in time for the start of Big 12 Conference season.  Mizzou opens conference play in 2008 with a game at Nebraska on Oct. 4 th .

"Obviously, we all feel bad for Danario," said MU Head Coach Gary Pinkel.  "The good news about all of this is that our medical team feels the rest of Danario’s knee looks great.  He had some pretty significant damage done to more than just his ACL with the first injury, but now the rest of the knee is very healthy.  This is a setback certainly, but with his work ethic, I think our timetable is realistic," he said.

Alexander caught 37 passes as a sophomore in 2007 for 417 yards and two touchdowns.  He had big games in the season opener against Illinois (9 catches, 82 yards) and against #2 Kansas (8 catches, 117 yards, one TD), but missed a total of four games due to separate injuries.  He broke his wrist late in the game against Illinois, and was forced to miss three games following that, before returning in the Big 12 opener against Nebraska.  Alexander suffered his knee injury running a reverse in the Big 12 title game against Oklahoma, and subsequently missed the Cotton Bowl against Arkansas. 

More recently, Alexander began practicing with the team during spring camp, and was healthy enough to have played in MU’s Black & Gold Spring Game, but was held out of the scrimmage for precautionary measures.

Story courtesy of University of Missouri athletics