On Saturday, the Illinois men’s tennis team was recognized for its eighth consecutive Big Ten title, but the Illini had much more than winning to celebrate.

Illinois associate head coach Brad Dancer, who was injured in a near head-on collision while driving Illinois athletes Pramod Dabir and Andrew Eklov to their matches at the Napa Valley Invitational in California on Sept. 17, was able to attend the celebration.

At the time of the injury, he was not expected to be back so soon.

Dancer was airlifted to Queen of the Valley Hospital immediately after the accident, where he had his spleen removed.

He also suffered from bruised lungs. Dancer was removed from the intensive care unit Sept. 19.

On Sept. 20, Illinois head coach Craig Tiley said Dancer was doing as well as could be expected and that the regular recovery process would take time.

But Dancer, who joined the coaching staff Aug. 24 after being a head coach at Fresno State for three years, could not be kept away from the Atkins Tennis Center on Saturday morning when the men’s tennis program celebrated alumni weekend.

Dancer had hardly stopped thinking about tennis since the accident.

While hospitalized, Dancer asked about the team’s progress in the tournament and the athletes’ performances, Illinois junior Ryler DeHeart said.

“All he wanted to know was how our tennis was going,” DeHeart said.

Once he returned to Champaign, Dancer met fans, alumni and media members at the alumni weekend celebration before the team’s appearance at halftime of the Illinois vs. Purdue football game.

If he was in pain, Dancer didn’t show it.

Instead, he smiled and thanked well-wishers for coming to the event and supporting college tennis.

When asked how he felt, he simply said, “Lucky.”