Rex Pflueger Returning For Year Five
Rex Pflueger has decided to return to Notre Dame for a fifth season after tearing his ACL against Purdue on December 15th.
“Blessed to announce that I will be returning next year to the University of Notre Dame to not only work towards my MBA but to play for one of the best basketball programs in the country,” Pflueger stated in an Instagram post.
It was a decision head coach Mike Brey expected to be made later down the road following Pflueger’s January 11th surgery as it had many levels.
Maybe the most significant part of the 6-foot-6 guard’s decision centered around his mother, Rebecca, who is battling brain cancer.
“We need him and he needs us,” Brey said on Saturday afternoon. “He needs to be with us. His dad and I talked about that. Rex and I talked about that. I love the basketball part of it, but everything this young man has done for us and what’s going on with mom right now, he needs to be with us another year.”
Another part of the equation was Pflueger was set to enter the working world following graduation. Those plans will be put on hold for a year as Pflueger will enter Notre Dame’s accelerated MBA program.
When it comes to basketball, Pflueger will have a long road ahead when it comes to rehab, but Brey isn’t worried about effort from the veteran guard.
“He’s going to be rehabbing, but I have a feeling he will rehab quicker than most guys,” said Brey. “He’s a maniac with that stuff.”
A healthy Pflueger would fill a hole in the Notre Dame roster next season similar to the one this year. Experience is the missing link to this season and Brey admitted he had talked to his staff about possibly searching for a graduate transfer guard to help the Irish next winter.
“We just got our graduate transfer guard in Rex Pflueger,” laughed Brey. “I’m thrilled. I was sitting at dinner last night with the team and I looked over and the whole team comes back now. I don’t know if that happens in college basketball. Guys can always transfer or go pro, but there’s a good chance our whole team will come back.
“We need to have him around. He’s a neat personality and he’s been a big-time winner. All hands on deck. Let’s get everyone back and we’ll figure out how to play everyone next year.”