Injured Temple lacrosse player to walk at graduation

A Temple University lacrosse player who was critically injured in a hit-and-run accident just before she was to graduate last spring will walk in this year's commencement ceremony.

Rachel Hall will take part in the university's graduation ceremonies in May, her family wrote on a Facebook support page late Sunday. The young woman's mother, Kathy Hall, accepted her daughter's diploma at last year's ceremony.

"All the accolades I received for Rachel last May while she was in critical condition at Temple University Hospital, she will be accepting for herself this year," read the message on the "Rachel Hall Temple Strong" Facebook page.

A Temple spokesman confirmed that Hall completed her degree requirements last year, graduating with honors from the College of Liberal Arts, and that the school was working with her family so she could participate in this year's graduation.

Hall was hit by a Mitsubishi Galant while riding her bike near Temple's North Philadelphia campus the evening of April 29, 2015.

The driver, Rashan Roberts, left the scene. Police said Roberts, then 18, had a learner's permit but not a license. Roberts, who surrendered to police the week after the crash, pleaded guilty in July to leaving the scene of an accident causing injury. He was sentenced in October to 111/2 to 23 months in jail.

Hall has been undergoing rehabilitation since the crash and is continuing to receive therapy five days a week. She still aspires to work in law enforcement, her family said.

"It has been a long year," the Facebook post said. "If you were to see Rachel in critical condition a year ago, you would never expect her to be in the condition she is now. She is truly a miracle."