Saluki women’s basketball player Nikki Gilmore, who was wounded Monday night in a random drive-by shooting, may return to the hardwood in approximately one week from today, SIUC athletic trainer Sally Perkins said Thursday.

Gilmore, a two-time All-Missouri Conference selection, was shot in her lower right leg while in St. Louis picking up teammate Heather Slater.

This morning she saw our Dr. Thorpe, Perkins said. He told her that she could return in as soon as a week. There was no damage to the muscle, just some soft tissue.

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According to Dr. William Thorpe, SIUC’s orthopedic surgeon, the bullet did not shatter Gilmore’s bone or cause extensive muscle damage and she could be ready for SIUC’s home opener against the University of Illinois Dec. 9.

Saluki women’s basketball head coach Cindy Scott said Gilmore has lost mobility in her right foot due to the injury.

She’s got to work on her range of motion, Scott said. She has no range of motion in her foot.

Wasting no time, Perkins said Gilmore began a therapy program Wednesday.

Scott said the news of Gilmore’s diagnosis was not what she expected.

It was much better than I had anticipated, she said. We hope we can get her back as quick as we can now.

A spokesperson for the St. Louis Police Department Public Information Division said no new information regarding the shooting was available at this time.

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