After two years of being restricted to the sidelines, redshirt sophomore Drew Babb has returned to the field to lead the Pioneer defense during the 2012 season.

Babb, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in July 2009 after his senior year of high school, overcame both the cancer and avascular necrosis, a disease that limits blood flow and leads to bone deterioration, on his journey to collegiate lacrosse. Babb made his debut with the Pioneers on Feb. 19 during Denver’s season-opening loss against Ohio State and has started every game this season.

The Colorado native enjoyed an extremely successful high school athletic career at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, playing three years of varsity basketball as point guard and two years of varsity football as a defensive lineman in addition to his four years on the varsity lacrosse team. Babb helped his team to multiple playoff appearances in all three sports, including a lacrosse state championship his senior year. During the same year, Babb was named an All-American in lacrosse.

In February of his senior basketball season, Babb’s neck began to swell, but trips to various doctors left him without any further information. It wasn’t until July that a complete biopsy revealed the cancer, and he began chemotherapy the next week.

“It was definitely tough [the treatment], but I had expected the worst,” said Babb. “When you hear stories about chemo, you hear some really hard things, but I expected the worst, and I think that really kind of helped me. I was diagnosed at the Children’s Hospital, so whenever I went to get treatment I’d see all the kids getting treatment, see how brave and strong they are, and that really puts things in perspective and made it a lot easier for me.”

During his second round of chemotherapy, Babb’s hip began to hurt, and he was soon diagnosed with avascular necrosis. While he finished the chemotherapy in November 2009, and has since been cancer-free, the effects of the avascular necrosis have been long-lasting.

A hole in his right hip joint prevented physical activity for a full year, crushing Babb’s hope of joining the Pioneers in the spring of 2010. Over the summer, he was able to slowly progress back into the sport, but a week before his sophomore year, he discovered that his left hip was in even worse condition than the right. Babb underwent surgery and began the healing process all over again.

Babb was cleared at the end of last summer to progressively begin training, and by the end of the fall season was able to complete nearly a full practice. While he still can’t do a great deal of long-distance running, and his hip still bothers him occasionally, he is now healthy and ready to make an impact on the team.

“It’s been awesome [getting back on the field] and just playing with all these guys,” said Babb. “It’s so much fun every day. After being out for that long, it makes it mean even more when you are out there playing, it makes me feel blessed that I actually get to play the sport I love at such a high level.”

A midfielder from sixth grade through his senior year of high school, Babb has made the transition to long-stick defender with the Pioneers, both because head coach Bill Tierney needed leadership in a defense that graduated its top six players last year, and because the position requires less running on Babb’s not yet fully healed hip.

“I think the best way to tell you what kind of athlete he is, is that he’s never played defense before and here he is starting on a Division I team and doing really well,” said Tierney. “He’s got a great athletic mind, he understands the game and he’s got great stick skills. He’s big; he’s strong; he runs well, and when you throw into it everything he’s been through, it’s pretty amazing what an athlete he is.”

While he was unable to play for the past two years, Babb attended every team practice that did not interfere with his treatment, assisting the team in any way he could and absorbing information.

“I would mostly just go to practice and learn. Even though I couldn’t play, I got a lot out of going to these practices,” said Babb. “It’s been helpful learning so much on the side. It’s a lot different watching things than being in the middle of it, and it’s absolutely helpful to have both sides. I hadn’t played lacrosse that much in my life, and going to practice under one of best coaches of all time, you learn so much every single day.”

Babb maintained a close relationship with his teammates throughout his recovery process, especially with junior attackman Eric Law, who went to Arapahoe and is one of Babb’s best friends. Other team members helping Babb were juniors Taylor Young and Kyle Hercher, the original 2009 freshman recruits alongside Babb.

“[They] would come over after I went through treatments and hang out with me, and they definitely helped me get through it and made it a lot easier,” said Babb. “Everyone on the team was great and always went out of their way to make sure I was doing alright. They made me feel just as much a part of the team as everyone else.”

Babb also developed a strong relationship with the coaching staff during the past two years, acting as a sort of student coach, according to Tierney.

“It was great for us [having him at practice], but it must have been miserable for him, seeing all his buddies out there,” said Tierney. “I think it was hard to be at practice, but he knew that when he did come back he would have that advantage of learning what he had to do. Everyone just looked up to him so much. He is certainly the most respected guy on the team, maybe because of this fight but also because he’s a great student and he’s a great person as well. There’s not a guy on the team that doesn’t listen to him when he talks.”

Babb, while technically a junior at DU, has freshman eligibility in athletics. He said he definitely plans to remain a Pioneer for at least the next two seasons, as his younger brother Michael, currently a junior at Arapahoe, will join the lacrosse team in the fall of 2013.

“We just have to hope that he stays healthy, that his hip continues to heal, that he can become the best he can be,” said Tierney. “He’s already surpassed so many people, already done so much; if this year is the pinnacle, so be it, because he’s already a huge success. But I have a feeling that this isn’t the end. He’ll either be a great defenseman or he’ll move back to midfield. With this year’s experience, by next year he could be an All-American; he’s just that good. A lot of times coaches are out there coaching kids and are hoping to inspire them, but he’s the kind of guy who inspires the coaches.”