Love Expected to Recover, But Career Is Over

Bloomington – Ball State wide receiver Dante Love is expected to recover from the spinal injuries he suffered against IU this weekend, but his playing career is likely over.

Ball State officials confirmed that Monday, just two days after Love suffered a cervical spine fracture and spinal cord injury following a helmet-to-helmet collision with IU cornerback Chris Adkins in the second quarter of Saturday night’s game. The injuries left Love motionless on the Memorial Stadium field for nearly 15 minutes, and he eventually underwent a five-hour surgery to stabilize the fracture.

Love originally experienced “numbness and tingling” following the hit, and was immediately taken by ambulance to Bloomington Hospital. Soon afterwards he was transferred to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, where he underwent the surgery Sunday morning.

Love is able to move all four of his extremities, and after a period of rehabilitation he is expected to be able “to live a normal and healthy life” according to the Ball State release.