Men’s basketball coach Randy Monroe has announced today that Justin Fry and Jamar Wertz will miss the remainder of the 2009-2010 basketball season due to injuries they have suffered.

The two will apply for medical hardship waivers from the NCAA to regain a year of eligibility to play for UMBC.

Fry underwent surgery to repair the medial patellofemoral ligament in his right knee to prevent the recurrence of dislocation.

Last season Fry earned All-Academic Team honors from the America East, the first Retriever to do so, and expected to graduate in the spring with a degree in economics and apply for graduate school for the fall of 2010, making him eligible to to play in 2010-2011.

It is clear what the addition of Fry would be doing this season. The size starved team could have been much better with his 6’9″ 220 pound frame and defensive ability teamed up with 7’0″ 265 pound Robbie Jackson. Jackson will be a senior next season with Fry.

The three-year starter averaged a career-best 8.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game last season. He underwent a surgical procedure on his right knee in February and missed four games before returning to play the final four games of the season, including three in the America East Conference tournament. In the opening round upset of No. 3 Boston University he scored a career-high 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds.

Wertz underwent arthroscopic knee surgery in early November during practice and has not returned to full team practice.

Wertz was a highly touted recruit and the freshman was expected to have a significant role this year. He is 6’4″ 185 pounds and strong enough to slash inside to get a layup and fight for rebounds, but he also has a very good outside stroke and can hit three-pointers. He his 63 three-point field goals in high school and averaged 14.2 points per game as a senior while leading King’s Fork High School to a 31-1 record and VHSL boys’ basketball state championship.