Xavier senior Jerome Hunter suffers torn Achilles during practice, Sean Miller says

CINCINNATI — Xavier senior Jerome Hunter, who only recently returned to practice after a medical issue sidelined him for most of the season, suffered a torn Achilles during practice on Monday.

Coach Sean Miller on Tuesday said Hunter will likely undergo surgery within the next week, officially ending his season.

"When it happened, it's like the air went out of the building because everybody knows all that he's been through," Miller said.

Hunter had heart surgery over the summer. Miller said he and the team did not know if Hunter would even be able to play again, but the Columbus native "fought all the way back" to return to practice.

In early January, Hunter was finally cleared for contact. Now, he faces another major setback.

"I don't even have words to describe how badly we felt when we saw him go down. You almost knew right away what it was," Miller said. "I give Jerome a lot of credit, and he has a lot in front of him ... this is another part of his path. He's certainly gone through a lot."

Hunter posted on social media Monday night in regards to his injury.

"The things I endure for this sport is crazy...but I love it...God has a plan and one day this will all be for something," Hunter posted on social media.

Miller said the belief is that Hunter, who graduated this year, will return for his final year of eligibility.

"We're looking forward to making that happen," said Miller.